Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

terrorize

/ˈtɛɹəɹaɪz/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.79 in modern English

Syllables: ter-ror-ize
IPA: /ˈtɛɹəɹaɪz/

18

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

3

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To fill (someone) with terror; to terrify.

American usage; Transitive verb

verb

To coerce (someone) by using threats or violence.

American usage; Transitive verb

Example Sentences

"terrorize the population"
"terrorize civilians"
"The gang continued to terrorize the neighborhood."
"She felt terrorized by the constant threats."
"Sleep with one eye open You have no idea what I'm capable of Keep claiming holier than thou My knife can stab more holes than you can count How dare you sleep where a king once slept And dry the tears of where his queen has wept Kill, torture, terrorize Welcome to my mind"

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *tres- Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Proto-Indo-European *troséyeti Proto-Italic *trozeō Latin terreō Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *-ōs Proto-Italic *-ōs Latin -or Latin terrorbor. Old French terreur Middle French terreurbor. Middle English terrour English terror Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íd͏̌d͏̌ō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English terrorize From terror + -ize.

Usage

American usage
Transitive verb

Inflected Forms

terrorizes (present, singular) terrorizing (participle, present) terrorized (participle, past) terrorized (past) terrorise (alternative)

Derived Forms

terrorization terrorizee terrorizer unterrorized

Phrases

counter-terrorize

Frequently Paired Words

terrorism terrorist

Synonyms

petrify terrify bully hector terrorise

Questions

How do you pronounce terrorize?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈtɛɹəɹaɪz/.
What does terrorize mean?: To fill (someone) with terror; to terrify.
Where does terrorize come from?: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *tres- Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Proto-Indo-European *troséyeti Proto-Italic *trozeō Latin terreō Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *-ōs Proto-Italic *-ōs Latin -or Latin terrorbor. Old French terreur Middle French terreurbor. Middle English terrour English terror Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íd͏̌d͏̌ō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English terrorize From terror + -ize.

How to pronounce terrorize

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “terrorize”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈtɛɹəɹaɪz/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “terrorize”.
Repeat and practice — Say “terrorize” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.