I shook with terror whenever I was about to fly in an aeroplane.
The day of terror ended after police used teargas and stormed the house.
Synonyms: fear, alarm, dread, fright More Synonyms of terror
2. uncountable noun [oft NOUN noun]
Terror is violence or the threat of violence, especially when it is used for political reasons.
The bomb attack on the capital could signal the start of a pre-election terror campaign.
3. countable noun
A terror is something that makes you very frightened.
As a boy, he had a real terror of facing people. [+ of]
...the terrors of violence. [+ of]
4. countable noun
If someone describes a child as a terror, they think that he or she is naughty and difficult to control.
[informal, disapproval]
He was a terror. He had been a difficult child for as long as his parents could remember.
Synonyms: rascal, devil, monkey, scamp More Synonyms of terror
5.
See hold no terrors for
6. to live in terror
7. reign of terror
More Synonyms of terror
terror in British English
(ˈtɛrə)
noun
1.
great fear, panic, or dread
2.
a person or thing that inspires great dread
3. informal
a troublesome person or thing, esp a child
4.
terrorism
Derived forms
terrorful (ˈterrorful)
adjective
terrorless (ˈterrorless)
adjective
Word origin
C14: from Old French terreur, from Latin terror, from terrēre to frighten; related to Greek trein to run away in terror
terror in American English
(ˈtɛrər)
noun
1.
intense fear
2.
a.
a person or thing causing intense fear
b.
the quality of causing such fear; terribleness
3.
a program of terrorism or a party, group, etc. resorting to terrorism
4. Informal
a very annoying or unmanageable person, esp. a child; nuisance; pest
SIMILAR WORDS: fear
Word origin
ME terrour < MFr terreur < L terror < terrere, to frighten < IE *ters-, to tremble (> Gr trein, to tremble, flee) < base *ter-, to wriggle
More idioms containing
terror
a reign of terror
COBUILD Collocations
terror
sheer terror
Examples of 'terror' in a sentence
terror
Yesterday the attack was still not claimed by any terror group.
The Sun (2017)
Turkey has itself been rocked by recent terror attacks.
The Sun (2016)
Police earlier said they did not suspect any terror links.
The Sun (2016)
Australia did not go because of a terror threat that still exists.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Nato allies are stepping in to fill the gap on operations against the terror group.
The Sun (2016)
It endured a wave of terror attacks in the summer.
The Sun (2016)
The A40 and the M4 hold no terror.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
In the past five years, terror suspects got nearly 17million in legal aid.
The Sun (2017)
Before that there had been panic, terror and fear - and that was just in the stands.
The Sun (2016)
Those poor people battling the floods know what real terror is.
The Sun (2010)
The great terror of our age is age.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Yet suddenly we face a renewed terror campaign on our own soil.
The Sun (2009)
Survivors of the terror attack will give evidence today.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
To protect the human rights of terror suspects.
The Sun (2008)
Government action against the terror group has been stalled by civil unrest in the country.
The Sun (2011)
Terror fears have also been a factor as well as competitor activity.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Labour has softened its position on holding terror suspects.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Religion drives his characters to acts of terror and great cruelty.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Forget about the hypothetical risks of a human bird flu epidemic or terror attacks on cinemas.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
He had also been flagged as a terror suspect for years in police files.
The Sun (2015)
But the changes he had witnessed were accompanied by violence and terror unmatched in the history of his country.
Diane Purkiss The English Civil War: A People's History (2006)
In situations of terror, people spontaneously seek their first source of comfort and protection.
Herman, Judith Lewis Trauma and Recovery (1992)
But last week he unleashed the most potent and ancient of all political terrors: food security.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The arrests came after warnings of a terror threat in Europe.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The lists of injured, dead and detained told their own story of panic and terror.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
What he witnessed was a terror campaign waged by the Government on its own people.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
They told of the terror and violence, but also of incredible escapes.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Although the political reign of terror has passed, menace persists.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
In other languages
terror
British English: terror NOUN
Terror is very great fear.
I shook with terror whenever I was about to fly in a plane.
American English: terror
Brazilian Portuguese: terror
Chinese: 恐惧
European Spanish: terror
French: terreur
German: panische Angst
Italian: terrore
Japanese: 恐怖
Korean: 공포
European Portuguese: terror
Latin American Spanish: terror
All related terms of 'terror'
holy terror
a difficult or frightening person
terror plot
A plot is a secret plan by a group of people to do something that is illegal or wrong , usually against a person or a government.
night terror
a sudden feeling of extreme fear that awakens a sleeping person, usually during slow-wave sleep, and is not associated with a dream or nightmare
sheer terror
Terror is very great fear.
terror attack
To attack a person or place means to try to hurt or damage them using physical violence .
terror network
A network of people or institutions is a large number of them that have a connection with each other and work together as a system.
terror-stricken
in a state of terror
terror suspect
A suspect is a person who the police or authorities think may be guilty of a crime.
balance of terror
military deterrence based on the possession of weapons of mass destruction by opponents in a conflict
Reign of Terror
A reign of terror is a period during which there is a lot of violence and killing , especially by people who are in a position of power.
bio-terrorism
the use of living organisms and their toxic products to kill or incapacitate , esp as a political weapon
a reign of terror
a period during which there is a lot of violence and killing , especially by people who are in positions of power
live in fear to live in terror
You can use expressions such as to live in fear and to live in terror to indicate that someone is always thinking about an unpleasant or frightening event, because they think that it might happen .
Chinese translation of 'terror'
terror
(ˈtɛrəʳ)
n(u)
(= great fear) 恐惧(懼) (kǒngjù)
in terror of sth对(對)某事胆(膽)战(戰)心惊(驚) (duì mǒushì dǎn zhàn xīn jīng)
to have a terror of (doing) sth害怕(做)某事 (hàipà (zuò) mǒushì)
1 (noun)
Definition
very great fear, panic, or dread
I shook with terror whenever I flew in an aeroplane.
Synonyms
fear
I shivered with fear as darkness fell.
alarm
The news was greeted with alarm by MPs.
dread
She thought with dread of the cold winters to come.
fright
To hide my fright I asked a question.
panic
The earthquake has caused panic among the population.
anxiety
His voice was full of anxiety.
intimidation
fear and trembling
2 (noun)
Definition
a person or thing that inspires great dread
my dreams were haunted with terrors last night
Synonyms
nightmare
monster
You make me sound like an absolute monster!
bogeyman
devil
the savage devils who mugged me
fiend
a saint to his parents and a fiend to his children
bugbear
Money is my biggest bugbear.
scourge
Vandalism is a scourge that is ruining our beautiful town.
3 (noun)
Definition
a troublesome person, esp. a child
He was a little terror; always had been difficult to control.
Synonyms
rascal
What's that old rascal been telling you?
devil
You cheeky little devil!
monkey
She's such a little monkey.
scamp
Have some respect for me, you scamp!
horror (informal)
They can be little horrors though, little children, can't they?
troublemaker
imp
I didn't say that, you little imp!
tyke (British, informal)
scally (NorthwestEngland, dialect)
mischief-maker
perisher (British, informal)
holy terror (informal)
spalpeen (Irish, informal)
nointer (Australian, slang)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of alarm
Definition
fear aroused by awareness of danger
The news was greeted with alarm by MPs.
Synonyms
fear,
horror,
panic,
anxiety,
distress,
terror,
dread,
dismay,
fright,
unease,
apprehension,
nervousness,
consternation,
trepidation (formal),
uneasiness
in the sense of anxiety
Definition
a state of uneasiness about what may happen
His voice was full of anxiety.
Synonyms
uneasiness,
concern,
care,
worry,
doubt,
tension,
alarm,
distress,
suspicion,
angst,
unease,
apprehension,
misgiving,
suspense,
nervousness,
disquiet,
trepidation (formal),
foreboding,
restlessness,
solicitude,
perturbation,
watchfulness,
fretfulness,
disquietude,
apprehensiveness,
dubiety
in the sense of bugbear
Definition
a thing that causes obsessive anxiety
Money is my biggest bugbear.
Synonyms
pet hate,
bête noire,
horror,
devil,
dread,
fiend,
anathema,
bane,
bogeyman,
bugaboo,
bogey
Synonyms of 'terror'
terror
Explore 'terror' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of devil
Definition
a person regarded as wicked
the savage devils who mugged me
Synonyms
brute,
monster,
savage,
beast,
villain,
rogue,
barbarian,
fiend,
terror,
swine,
ogre
in the sense of devil
You cheeky little devil!
Synonyms
scamp,
monkey (informal),
rogue,
imp,
rascal,
tyke (informal),
scoundrel,
scallywag (informal),
mischief-maker,
whippersnapper,
toerag (slang),
pickle (British, informal),
nointer (Australian, slang)
in the sense of dread
Definition
great fear
She thought with dread of the cold winters to come.
Synonyms
fear,
alarm,
horror,
terror,
dismay,
fright,
apprehension,
consternation,
trepidation (formal),
fearfulness,
apprehensiveness,
affright
in the sense of fiend
Definition
a cruel or wicked person
a saint to his parents and a fiend to his children
Synonyms
brute,
monster,
savage,
beast,
degenerate,
barbarian,
ogre,
ghoul
in the sense of fright
Definition
sudden fear or alarm
To hide my fright I asked a question.
Synonyms
fear,
shock,
alarm,
horror,
panic,
terror,
dread,
dismay,
quaking,
apprehension,
consternation,
trepidation (formal),
cold sweat,
fear and trembling,
(blue) funk (informal)
in the sense of horror
They can be little horrors though, little children, can't they?
Synonyms
rascal,
terror (informal),
devil,
monkey,
monster,
perisher (British, informal),
scamp,
holy terror (informal),
nointer (Australian, slang)
in the sense of imp
Definition
a mischievous child
I didn't say that, you little imp!
Synonyms
rascal,
rogue,
brat,
urchin (old-fashioned),
minx,
scamp,
pickle (British, informal),
gamin,
nointer (Australian, slang)
in the sense of monkey
Definition
a naughty or mischievous child
She's such a little monkey.
Synonyms
rascal,
horror (informal),
devil,
rogue,
pickle (British, informal),
imp,
tyke,
scallywag,
mischief maker,
scamp,
nointer (Australian, slang)
in the sense of monster
Definition
an exceptionally cruel or wicked person
You make me sound like an absolute monster!
Synonyms
brute,
devil,
savage,
beast,
demon,
villain,
barbarian,
fiend,
ogre,
ghoul,
bogeyman
in the sense of panic
Definition
a sudden overwhelming feeling of terror or anxiety, sometimes affecting a whole group of people
The earthquake has caused panic among the population.
Synonyms
fear,
alarm,
horror,
terror,
anxiety,
dismay,
hysteria,
fright,
agitation,
consternation,
trepidation (formal),
a flap (informal)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of scamp
Definition
a mischievous person, esp. a child
Have some respect for me, you scamp!
Synonyms
rascal,
devil,
monkey,
rogue,
imp,
tyke (informal),
wretch,
knave (archaic),
scallywag (informal),
pickle (British, informal),
mischief-maker,
whippersnapper,
toerag (slang),
scapegrace,
nointer (Australian, slang)
in the sense of scourge
Definition
a person who or thing that causes affliction or suffering
Vandalism is a scourge that is ruining our beautiful town.