Definition

1. Noun:
   • An overwhelming feeling of intense fear and anxiety: A state of extreme, often paralyzing, fright.
   • A person or thing that causes such intense fear: Something or someone that inspires great dread.
   • Violence or the threat of violence, especially for political coercion: The systematic use of extreme fear and violence to intimidate or subjugate.
   • (Informal) A very troublesome or difficult person, especially a child: A source of annoyance or mischief.

Usage Examples

• As an overwhelming feeling:
  • She was filled with terror when she heard the strange noise at night.
  • The approaching storm struck terror into the hearts of the sailors.
• As a source of fear:
  • The invading army was the terror of the region.
  • That strict teacher is the terror of the school.
• As political violence:
  • The regime ruled its people through terror and oppression.
  • Acts of terror are condemned by the international community.
• As a troublesome person (informal):
  • Her little brother is a holy terror when he doesn't get his way.

Advanced Usage

• "Reign of terror": A period during which a government or ruling group uses violent methods to control people.
  • The dictator's reign of terror lasted for a decade.
• "Holy terror" (idiomatic, informal): A person, especially a child, who is very badly behaved or difficult to manage.
  • My two-year-old nephew is a holy terror in a supermarket.

Variants and Related Words

• Terrorize (verb): To fill with terror; to coerce or control by violence or fear.
  • The gang terrorized the neighborhood.
• Terrorism (noun): The unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.
  • The government has new policies to combat terrorism.
• Terrorist (noun): A person who uses unlawful violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.
  • The terrorist was captured by security forces.

Synonyms

• Fear: An unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm. (Less intense than terror).
• Dread: Great fear or apprehension about something in the future.
• Fright: A sudden intense feeling of fear.
• Panic: Sudden uncontrollable fear or anxiety, often causing wildly unthinking behavior.
• Horror: An intense feeling of fear, shock, or disgust.

Related Phrases

• To strike terror into (someone's) heart: To cause someone to feel extreme fear.
  • The ghost story struck terror into the children's hearts.
• In terror: In a state of extreme fear.
  • They fled in terror from the burning building.

Idioms

• A bundle of nerves / A nervous wreck: (Similar informal concept for a state of anxiety, though not a direct synonym for terror).
• Scared stiff / Scared to death: (Idioms for being extremely frightened).

Noun

1. the use of extreme fear in order to coerce people (especially for political reasons)
   • he used terror to make them confess
2. a very troublesome child
3. a person who inspires fear or dread
   • he was the terror of the neighborhood
4. an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety