Word
terrorize
Phoneticster·ror·ize, stress on the first syllable
/ˈtɛɹɝˌaɪz/
UK spelling · terrorise
Definition
v. to frighten people in a very cruel or violent way. It often involves using threats or force to make people feel unsafe.
v. to subject someone to persistent intimidation, threats, or violence. Transitive — requires a direct object representing the victims or the location being targeted.
Examples
“The gang tried to terrorize the local shopkeepers.”
“The local community was terrorized by a series of break-ins that occurred every night for a month.”
“The regime sought to terrorize the population into silence, using arbitrary arrests and public executions as tools of psychological control to suppress any dissent.”
Examples
simple
“The gang tried to terrorize the local shopkeepers.”
contextual
“The local community was terrorized by a series of break-ins that occurred every night for a month.”
complex
“The regime sought to terrorize the population into silence, using arbitrary arrests and public executions as tools of psychological control to suppress any dissent.”
Real-World Examples
“They discover people betting on them on the dark web from China to the US, while the innocent farmers who own the fields where such events take place are targeted, threatened, attacked and terrorised.” “On one page he describes himself as “equally terrorised by al-Qaida and by my own government”.” Etymology
From terror + -ize.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/terrorize