terror
noun
ter·ror
| \ ˈter-ər
, ˈte-rər\
, ˈte-rər\
Definition of terror
1
: a state of intense fear
3
: reign of terror
4
: violent or destructive acts (such as bombing) committed by groups in order to intimidate a population or government into granting their demands
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Other Words from terror
terrorless
\ ˈter-ər-ləs
, ˈte-rər- \
adjective
, ˈte-rər- \
adjective
Synonyms for terror
Synonyms
affliction, demon (or daemon), hang-up, torment
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Examples of terror in a Sentence
The sound of guns being fired fills me with terror.
Many civilians fled in terror.
a terror that is still fresh in her memory
the terrors of life in the jungle
a regime that rules by terror
bombings and other acts of terror
These people have been living with terror and the threat of terror for many years.
a campaign of terror against ethnic minority groups
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Recent Examples on the Web
The granite slabs installed on the memorial plaza this spring recognize an initially unseen toll of the 2001 terror attacks: firefighters, police and others who died or fell ill after exposure to toxins unleashed in the wreckage. — USA TODAY, "Animation behind bars, Elliott the elk, SkyStar: News from around our 50 states," 10 Sep. 2019 American forces invaded Afghanistan nearly 18 years ago, to hunt for Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda fighters weeks after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. — Lara Jakes, New York Times, "Trump Declares Afghan Peace Talks With Taliban ‘Dead’," 9 Sep. 2019 The memorial features pillars representing war eras including World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War and the most recent terror attacks. — cleveland.com, "North Ridgeville Chamber of Commerce hosts Mayoral Forum Sept. 25: Short Takes on Avon, Avon Lake and North Ridgeville," 6 Sep. 2019 Some 120 Israeli families who lost members in terror attacks disagree. — Josefin Dolsten, sun-sentinel.com, "Why HBO series ‘Our Boys’ is causing controversy," 29 Aug. 2019 The fusion centers were established nationwide after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. — Bill Glauber, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "MPD Chief Alfonso Morales on DNC 2020 security: 'This is going to be a team effort. We're all on board.'," 21 Aug. 2019 But according to a company source familiar with the project, Woke is in fact part of a counter-terror program funded by the British government -- raising ethical questions about transparency in such online initiatives. — Tara John And Vasco Cotovio, CNN, "'Woke' news platform aimed at young Muslims is actually a secret UK counter-terror program," 16 Aug. 2019 Hong Kong legal experts say Beijing might be paving the way to use anti-terror laws to restrain the protesters. — NBC News, "Hong Kong airport cancels all flights for second day amid protests," 13 Aug. 2019 On July 23rd Christopher Wray, the FBI director, said his agency had made around 100 domestic-terror arrests since October, most of them related to white supremacists. — The Economist, "America grapples with a lethal mix of terrorism and lax gun laws," 8 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'terror.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for terror
terror
noun
English Language Learners Definition of terror
: a very strong feeling of fear
: something that causes very strong feelings of fear : something that is terrifying
: violence that is committed by a person, group, or government in order to frighten people and achieve a political goal
See the full definition for terror in the English Language Learners Dictionary
terror
noun
ter·ror
| \ ˈter-ər
\
\
Kids Definition of terror
1
: a state of great fear
They fled in terror.
2
: a cause of great fear
All these, however, were mere terrors of the night …— Washington Irving, “Sleepy Hollow”
terror
noun
ter·ror
Legal Definition of terror
: an intense fear of physical injury or death
inflict terror by forced entry or unlawful assembly