How to Use terrifying in a Sentence

terrifying

adjective
  • The thought of dying alone was terrifying.
  • The new gun law is the most terrifying part of her new home to her.
    — Washington Post, 15 Sep. 2021
  • All of the terrifying truths to process were put on hold.
    — Matt Gelb, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025
  • Sharks are known for their toothy and terrifying smiles.
    — Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2025
  • This was a very terrifying time for them.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
  • For many, the scene was a terrifying sight.
    — Naveen Dhaliwal, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
  • And that might be a bit terrifying.
    — Outside Online, 21 Jan. 2026
  • That is the terrifying piece of this.
    — Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 9 Oct. 2025
  • That was a terrifying last four days.
    — Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2025
  • That was a terrifying last four days.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2025
  • That was a terrifying last four days.
    — Marina Watts, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2025
  • That was a terrifying last four days.
    — Mekishana Pierre, EW.com, 26 Aug. 2025
  • That was a terrifying last four days.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2026
  • That was a terrifying last four days.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2026
  • Victims are forced to use stealth and their wits to evade the terrifying hunters.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
  • The portraits with eyes gouged out seem more camp than terrifying, though.
    — Richard Rys, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2021
  • That, and some new alien life forms even more terrifying than the Xenomorph.
    — Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2025
  • And this was a terrifying scene.
    — ABC News, 26 Apr. 2026
  • Their grief and rage are terrifying.
    — Honor Jones, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
  • Which was good, because some of those guys were terrifying.
    — Mark Glende, Twin Cities, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Alma is terrifying, but she wasn’t born this way.
    — Will Borger, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025
  • To a film star, on the other hand, to be let alone for an instant is terrifying.
    — Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 30 July 2021
  • The idea of stepping out of my comfort zone is both thrilling and terrifying.
    — Harriette Cole, The Mercury News, 20 Jan. 2024
  • The roads are like a roller coaster, a mix of giddy and terrifying.
    — Washington Post, 25 June 2021
  • The scene when my character had to strip was terrifying to me.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 21 Mar. 2024
  • My anchor was made of cliff faces and wild things; its beauty was terrifying.
    — Literary Hub, 11 May 2026
  • This is terrifying, and should be to anyone who cares about freedom of speech.
    — Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 30 Jan. 2026
  • The crash would be the start of some of the most terrifying days of the surviving friends' lives.
    — Compiled By Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 12 Mar. 2023
  • Speaking of things that sound terrifying but aren't, this is one of my favorite cards.
    — Sophie Saint Thomas, Allure, 5 Sep. 2021
  • Tennis stands alone as being one of the most terrifying sports since there is no team to share a loss with.
    — Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2022

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'terrifying.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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