terrifyingter‧ri‧fy‧ing /ˈterəfaɪ-ɪŋ/ ●●○ adjective 
He told her of his terrifying experience. terrifying screams It was absolutely terrifying.► see thesaurus at frightening—terrifyingly adverb
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- I opened my eyes, and tried to banish the terrifying images of the plane falling from the sky, and crashing into the sea.
- It had been a terrifying ordeal, but now, at last, he was free.
- Spending a night in jail was a terrifying experience.
- There was a terrifying crash, and the house seemed to shake.
- They stopped me, and I saw that they had a gun. It was terrifying.
- And beneath his feet Hencke could hear the terrifying noise of water beginning to slop its way through the bilges.
- In the morning the mad excitement was over, and the dreadful memory of his crime returned - more terrifying than ever.
- It took him more than 30 years before he told anyone other than friends of his terrifying experience.
- Smoke poured from the main bedroom window, and there were terrifying reports as the glass cracked in the heat.
- The heat, the insects, and the debilitating claustrophobia of those few terrifying days often returned to haunt him.
- The senior one was a fearsome, mustachioed amateur cello player who addressed every class in a terrifying bawl.
- Thus is the citizen beset by the vision of a terrifying Trinity - Unaccountability, Inaccessibility and Unintelligibility.
THESAURUSvery frightening
extremely frightening: · a terrifying thought· The experience was absolutely terrifying.· She spoke of the terrifying ordeal (=a very bad experience) when three armed men burst into her house.
very frightening and involving danger, in a way that is exciting: · hair-raising stories· a hair-raising motorcycle ride through the streets of Havana
very frightening – used about films, stories etc that involve frightening or cruel events: · a spine-chilling novel by Stephen King
especially literary [only before noun] very frightening – used especially about sounds: · a blood-curdling scream· a blood-curdling growl
Longman Language Activatormaking you feel frightened making you feel frightened: · Driving in big cities can be pretty frightening for many people.it's frightening: · There are so many people with guns these days, it's really frightening.it is frightening to do something: · It's frightening to think that something like this can happen in America today.a frightening experience/thought/prospect: · It was the most frightening experience of my life.· After so many years, going back to college and studying was a frightening prospect.
very frightening: · They stopped me, and I saw that they had a gun. It was terrifying.· I opened my eyes, and tried to banish the terrifying images of the plane falling from the sky, and crashing into the sea.a terrifying scream/crash/sound etc: · There was a terrifying crash, and the house seemed to shake.a terrifying experience/ordeal/thought: · It had been a terrifying ordeal, but now, at last, he was free.
especially spoken frightening - use this especially about stories, films, or situations in which strange or frightening things happen: · She didn't like the film. It was too scary for her.· I had a really scary dream last night.it's scary: · I don't regret my decision to start a new life, in a new country. It's scary, but it's also really exciting.· a big scary monster
a place or story that is spooky is frightening, especially because it is dark, strange etc: · The forest is really spooky in the dark.· Will you shut up about ghosts! You always scare me with that spooky talk!· I remembered that spooky feeling of being alone in the woods, and feeling that you are being watched by supernatural eyes.· We sat around the fire and told spooky tales.
a creepy feeling or place is one that is strange and makes you feel nervous and frightened, especially because you think that someone or something frightening might be there: · The house looked OK from the outside but inside it was all dark and creepy.· This place is really creepy. Let's get out of here.· I got a real creepy feeling on the way over there, as if someone was watching me.
a fact, statement or experience that is chilling , makes you feel frightened or shocked, because it is extremely cruel, violent, dangerous etc: · The lawyer gave a chilling demonstration of how the accused used a towel to suffocate his victim.· The captain's message ended with the chilling words: "Mission completed. All prisoners disposed of.''· The case is a chilling reminder of how ordinary, seemingly respectable citizens still have racist and deeply intolerant views.
an experience that is hair-raising is frightening because it is very dangerous: · We ended up making a hair-raising 200-kilometre night drive to the border.· After various hair-raising adventures in Afghanistan, Newcombe settled in Northern India.hair-raising tale/story : · Jenny had lots of adventures, travelling all over the world and always coming home with hair-raising stories.
something such as a story, film, or statement that is spine-chilling is frightening because it clearly describes or shows frightening or evil events: · The collection includes a spine-chilling ghost story by Edgar Allan Poe.· The only journalist to witness the rebellion gave a spine-chilling account of atrocities carried out by both sides.
: blood-curdling scream/howl/roar etc very frightening or made by someone who is extremely frightened: · Mary went upstairs to look for Dean and seconds later I heard a blood-curdling scream.· the blood-curdling howls of the wolves in the forest
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY He told her of his terrifying experience. It was absolutely terrifying.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
extremely frighteningterrifying experience/ordeal He told her of his terrifying experience. It was absolutely terrifying.· Bruce Gordon has described his terrifying ordeal in a shark attack.
· Driving through London in a strange car was a terrifying prospect.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· When you walked along it, it swung from side to side in a most terrifying fashion.· And it is still considered the most terrifying experience of many people's lives.· For the most terrifying fighting man in the world?· The most terrifying ants of all are those that make no nest but wander through the countryside seeking prey.· By contrast, his son James V was the most terrifying of his line; but he was no less successful.
NOUN· It took him more than 30 years before he told anyone other than friends of his terrifying experience.· She wrote a long and moving letter, describing her terrifying experience of being raped whilst on holiday with two friends.· And it is still considered the most terrifying experience of many people's lives.· For a child of five this was a terrifying experience, although it was meant to be a birthday treat.· He knew enough psychology to have at least some insight into what those early shaming and terrifying experiences had done to her.· Without love it would be a terrifying experience.· This, as you can imagine, was a terrifying experience, and memories of my hospital stay still frighten me.
He told her of his terrifying experience. terrifying screams It was absolutely terrifying.► see thesaurus at frightening—terrifyingly adverb