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Definition of terrified adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

terrified

adjective
 
/ˈterɪfaɪd/
 
/ˈterɪfaɪd/
Idioms
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  1. very frightened
    • terrified (of somebody/something) to be terrified of spiders
    • terrified (of doing something) I'm terrified of losing you.
    • terrified (that…) He was terrified (that) he would fall.
    • terrified (at something) She was terrified at the thought of being alone.
    • You look absolutely terrified!
    • She looked at him with wide, terrified eyes.
    Synonyms afraidafraidfrightened ▪ scared ▪ terrified ▪ alarmed ▪ paranoidThese words all describe feeling or showing fear.afraid [not before noun] feeling fear; worried that something bad might happen:
    • There’s nothing to be afraid of.
    • Aren’t you afraid (that) you’ll fall?
    frightened feeling fear; worried that something bad might happen:
    • a frightened child
    • She was frightened that the glass would break.
    scared (rather informal) feeling fear; worried that something bad might happen:
    • The thieves got scared and ran away.
     afraid, frightened or scared?Scared is more informal, more common in speech, and often describes small fears. Afraid cannot come before a noun. It can only take the preposition of, not about. If you are afraid/​frightened/​scared of somebody/​something/​doing something or afraid/​frightened/​scared to do something, you think you are in danger of being hurt or suffering in some way. If you are frightened/​scared about something/​doing something, it is less a fear for your personal safety and more a worry that something unpleasant might happen.terrified very frightened:
    • I was terrified (that) she wouldn’t come.
    • They looked into the cave with wide, terrified eyes.
    alarmed afraid that something dangerous or unpleasant might happen:
    • He was alarmed at the prospect of travelling alone.
    paranoid (rather informal) afraid of other people for no reason or suspecting that they are trying to harm you, when really they are not:
    • You’re just being paranoid.
    Patterns
    • afraid/​frightened/​scared of spiders, etc.
    • frightened/​scared/​paranoid about …
    • afraid/​frightened/​scared/​terrified that …
    • afraid/​frightened/​scared to open the door, etc.
    • Don’t be afraid/​frightened/​scared/​alarmed.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • be
    • feel
    • look
    • …
    adverb
    • really
    • truly
    • absolutely
    • …
    preposition
    • at
    • of
    See full entry
Idioms
be frightened/scared/terrified out of your wits
(also to frighten/scare the wits out of somebody)
  1. to be very frightened; to frighten somebody very much
    • I was scared out of my wits!
    • The latest news has scared the wits out of investors.
See terrified in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
Check pronunciation: terrified

Nearby words

influence
verb
 
 
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