terrified
TEH-rih-fyd
Terrified (adj) means Extremely frightened. Example: “I was terrified when the lights went out during the storm.”
adj
1
Extremely frightened.
"Remi is terrified of spiders."
"I was terrified when the lights went out during the storm."
"She was terrified of spiders as a child."
"The terrified passengers grabbed onto their seats as the plane shook."
How to use terrified
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishVery scared — a stronger word than "afraid" or "scared."
Common pairings
terrified of
absolutely terrified
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more terrified
- Superlative
- most terrified
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
I was _____ when the lights went out during the storm.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for terrified
See all rhymes for terrified →Frequently asked questions
What does “terrified” mean?
The word “terrified” means extremely frightened. In plain terms, very scared — a stronger word than "afraid" or "scared.".
How do you pronounce “terrified”?
“Terrified” is pronounced TEH-rih-fyd (/ˈtɛɹɪfaɪd/ in IPA).
How do you use “terrified” in a sentence?
Here is “terrified” used in a sentence: “She was terrified of spiders as a child.”
What part of speech is “terrified”?
“Terrified” is an adjective.
Is “terrified” a common word?
“Terrified” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between terrified and scared?
Both describe fear, but they differ in intensity. Scared covers mild to moderate fear, while terrified means extremely frightened, so being terrified is far stronger than simply being scared.
What is the difference between terrified and horrified?
Terrified means feeling extreme fear, usually because you sense danger to yourself. Horrified means feeling shock, disgust, or dismay at something you find awful, so you can be horrified by something without fearing for your own safety.
What is the difference between terrified and petrified?
Both mean extremely frightened, but petrified adds the image of being so scared that you freeze and cannot move. Terrified describes intense fear in general, whether or not it leaves you paralysed.
What preposition follows terrified?
You are usually terrified 'of' something, as in 'terrified of spiders,' or terrified 'by' an event, as in 'terrified by the noise.' You can also be 'terrified that' something might happen.
