terrorizing

verb

present participle of terrorize
as in scaring
to strike with fear thunderstorms terrorize our cats, who all scamper downstairs when lightning flashes

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of terrorizing In The Babysitter, desperate to earn enough money for a prestigious writing program, 16-year-old Jenny takes a babysitting job despite a prowler terrorizing girls across town. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 11 Oct. 2026 Also in this week’s Screen Gab, our writers recommend a miniseries about a mysterious sea creature terrorizing a small coastal town and a pair of psychological horror dramas exploring female rage. — Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026 There was a certain equilibrium to the way our family ate, fueling ourselves for our respective days either sitting at a laptop or terrorizing the socket plugs, the crayons, the cat. — Raven Smith, Vogue, 7 Oct. 2026 Since the beginning of July, Russian drones and missiles have been terrorizing Kyiv with exceptional intensity. — Dmytro Kuleba, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2026 On that day here at home, the country looked as if for the first time at every vulnerability, reorganizing local and state and federal government to do everything in our power to stop radical jihadists from terrorizing us again. — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026 Zymire Hughes, the man accused of terrorizing at least a half-dozen people while wearing a Chucky-style mask in Center City, has been extradited to Philadelphia, police said. — Frederick Sutton Sinclair, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026 Arrest documents offered a flurry of new details about two former Phoenix police officers suspected of terrorizing a couple during a traffic stop and failing to document or report the stop. — Perry Vandell, AZCentral.com, 26 Aug. 2026 Stock Up Edge rusher Chop Robinson continues his dominant practices by terrorizing Dolphins offensive tackles all day. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 18 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terrorizing
  1. scaring
  2. frightening
  3. terrifying
Verb
  • Halloween Horror Nights are still scaring visitors to Universal Studios Hollywood, but the park is already making holiday plans.
    — Tom Tapp, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
  • More than anything, this adaptation feels scared of being too unlikable or scaring anyone too much.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of scaring
Verb
  • Powell tried to open the stall door, and then began fondling himself, frightening the 11-year-old, who tried to leave, but Powell blocked him from getting out.
    — Todd Feurer, CBS News, 6 June 2026
  • This war has been a disaster for them, frightening away foreign investors, tourists and talent and burdening them with a future of huge new defense bills to deter Iran after the United States is gone.
    — Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
Definition of frightening
Verb
  • Still, Douglas is unflinching in the book about how physically abusive and terrifying his dad was to him and his brother.
    — Sean Woods, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2026
  • One night, Bridget decides to leave after thoroughly terrifying her husband with an ax.
    — Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of terrifying

Browse Nearby Words

terrorizes
terrorizing
terrors
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Cite this Entry

“Terrorizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrorizing. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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