terror

/ˈtɛrər/

/ˈtɛrə/

Other forms: terrors

Terror is the feeling of extreme fear. If you unexpectedly find someone dressed up as a vampire in your closet in the middle of a dark night, you might well experience feelings of terror.

If you feel terror, you are frozen to the spot in fear. This is the goal of terrorists who use terror as a weapon — they create a climate of fear and mistrust so that people are afraid to go about their normal lives. You will recognize this use in the phrase “the war on terror.” You can also call a difficult or scary person, often a child who causes havoc, a terror or a holy terror.

Definitions of terror

1. noun

   an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
   synonyms: affright, panic

   types:

   swivet

   a panic or extreme discomposure

   type of:

   fear, fearfulness, fright

   an emotion experienced in anticipation of some specific pain or danger (usually accompanied by a desire to flee or fight)
2. noun

   the use of extreme fear in order to coerce people (especially for political reasons)
   types:

   act of terrorism, terrorism, terrorist act

   the calculated use of violence (or the threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear

   biological terrorism, bioterrorism

   terrorism using the weapons of biological warfare

   chemical terrorism

   terrorism using the chemical agents of chemical warfare; can undermine the personal security of citizens

   cyber-terrorism, cyberterrorism, cyberwar

   an assault on electronic communication networks

   domestic terrorism

   terrorism practiced in your own country against your own people

   eco-warfare, ecological terrorism, ecological warfare, ecoterrorism

   violence carried out to further the political or social objectives of the environmentalists

   international terrorism

   terrorism practiced in a foreign country by terrorists who are not native to that country

   narcoterrorism

   the financing of terrorist activities by participation in the drug trade

   nuclear terrorism

   the use of a nuclear device by a terrorist organization to cause massive devastation or the use (or threat of use) of fissionable radioactive materials

   state-sponsored terrorism

   terrorism practiced by a government against its own people or in support of international terrorism

   theoterrorism

   terrorism for a religious purpose

   terrorist attack

   a surprise attack involving the deliberate use of violence against civilians in the hope of attaining political or religious aims

   type of:

   coercion

   the act of compelling by force of authority
3. noun

   a person who inspires fear or dread
   “he was the terror of the neighborhood”

   synonyms: scourge, threat

   type of:

   individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul

   a human being
4. noun

   a very troublesome child
   synonyms: brat, holy terror, little terror

   type of:

   imp, monkey, rapscallion, rascal, scalawag, scallywag, scamp

   one who is playfully mischievous