terror

A very strong feeling of fear.

• His eyes were full of terror.
• We fled in terror when the roof collapsed.
• Have you ever felt such sudden terror?

How to use it: in terror (She stared at the snake in terror.)

Similar words: fear, dread, fright

Common phrases: in terror, sheer terror, filled with terror

Violence or threats used to frighten people and achieve political aims.

• The group used terror to silence opponents.
• Several people died in the terror attack.
• The government promised to end the campaign of terror.

Similar words: terrorism

Common phrases: war on terror, terror attack, campaign of terror

Someone, especially a child, who behaves badly and causes a lot of trouble.

• My little brother is a terror.
• Those two terrors hid all my shoes.
• Was she always such a terror at school?

Similar words: troublemaker, rascal

Common phrases: a little terror, a real terror, such a terror

A person or thing that makes people feel very afraid.

• That beast was a terror.
• The pirate became the terror of the coast.
• She wrote about the terrors of the deep sea.

How to use it: the terror of somewhere (The huge dog was the terror of the village.)

Similar words: menace, scourge

Common phrases: terror of somewhere, a real terror, terrors of something

Describing a teacher who is very strict and gives many students failing grades.

• We have a terror teacher this year.
• Our terror math teacher failed half the class.
• Students avoid taking courses with that terror professor.

Similar words: strict, fearsome

Opposites: lenient

Common phrases: terror teacher, terror math teacher, terror professor