terror

UK: /ˈtɛrə^r/ US: /ˈtɛrɚ/ ,(ter′ər)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ter•ror /ˈtɛrɚ/   n. 

1. intense, sharp, deep, and overwhelming fear:
   [uncountable] filled with terror at the thought of death.
2. a person or thing that causes such fear:
   [countable] the terrors of the night.
3. Government violence or threats to force others to do one's will:
   [uncountable] the use of terror to achieve political aims.
4. Informal Terms an annoying or unpleasant person or thing:
   [countable] Do we have to take care of the little terrors again tonight?

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ter•ror  (ter′ər), n. 

1. intense, sharp, overmastering fear:
   to be frantic with terror.
2. an instance or cause of intense fear or anxiety;
   quality of causing terror:
   to be a terror to evildoers.
3. Government any period of frightful violence or bloodshed likened to the Reign of Terror in France.
4. Government violence or threats of violence used for intimidation or coercion;
   terrorism.
5. Informal Terms a person or thing that is especially annoying or unpleasant.

• Latin, as above
• Anglo-French
• Latin, equivalent. to terr(ēre) to frighten + -or -or¹; replacing Middle English terrour
• 1325–75

ter′ror•ful, adj. 
ter′ror•less, adj. 
Synonyms

• 1. alarm, dismay, consternation.
  Terror, horror, panic, fright all imply extreme fear in the presence of danger or evil.
  Terror implies an intense fear that is somewhat prolonged and may refer to imagined or future dangers:
  frozen with terror.
  Horror implies a sense of shock at a danger that is also evil, and the danger may be to others rather than to oneself:
  to recoil in horror.
  Panic and fright both imply a sudden shock of fear.
  Fright is usually of short duration:
  a spasm of fright.
  Panic is uncontrolled and unreasoning fear, often groundless, that may be prolonged:
  The mob was in a panic.

Antonyms

• 1. calm.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

terror / ˈtɛrə/ noun

1. great fear, panic, or dread
2. a person or thing that inspires great dread
3. a troublesome person or thing, esp a child
4. terrorism

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French terreur, from Latin terror, from terrēre to frighten; related to Greek trein to run away in terror

ˈterrorful adjective

ˈterrorless adjective