terrified
Frozen with dread
Terrified means extremely frightened—fear at its most intense.
Where scared suggests discomfort and afraid suggests worry, terrified implies overwhelming dread: She was terrified of losing her job, The children stood terrified as the storm approached.
The word carries physical connotations—being frozen, unable to think or act.
Experiencing sudden fear
- scaredFeeling fear or alarm
- petrifiedSolidified or fear-paralyzed
- horrifiedIntensely shocked, disgusted
- panic-strickenOverwhelmed by intense fear
trembling · shaken · paralyzed · frozen · aghast · alarmed · spooked · startled
Solidified by extreme cold
- immobilizedMade unable to move
- rootedFirmly established in place
- stunnedShocked into speechlessness
- petrifiedSolidified or fear-paralyzed
stock-still · rigid · stiff · locked · speechless · voiceless · numb · shell-shocked
Fearful of future events
- anxiousTroubled by uncertainty
- fearfulFull of fright
- dreadingAnticipating with apprehension
- forebodingFearful anticipation of harm
trepidation · unease · anticipating · expecting · looming · impending · ominous · premonition
Extremely frightening or horrifying
- spine-chillingIntensely frightening or eerie
- nightmarishFrightening like bad dreams
- chillingCausing fear or cold
- hauntedOccupied by ghosts
creepy · macabre · ghastly · gruesome · sinister · eerie · unnerving · hair-raising
Wildly out of control
- hystericalEmotionally out of control
- franticWildly anxious or desperate
- desperateDriven by urgent need
- scramblingMoving clumsily in haste
fleeing · stampeding · chaotic · overwhelmed · uncontrollable · meltdown · screaming · flailing
Threatened with harm
- intimidatedMade fearful by threat
- corneredUnable to flee
- stalkedFollowed stealthily with menace
- huntedSought to capture
vulnerable · defenseless · exposed · targeted · confronted · ambushed · trapped · surrounded
frightened
Experiencing sudden fear
- scaredFeeling fear or alarm
- petrifiedSolidified or fear-paralyzed
- horrifiedIntensely shocked, disgusted
panic-stricken · trembling · shaken · paralyzed · frozen · aghast · alarmed · spooked · startled · jumpy
frozen
Solidified by extreme cold
- immobilizedMade unable to move
- rootedFirmly established in place
- stunnedShocked into speechlessness
petrified · stock-still · rigid · stiff · locked · speechless · voiceless · numb · shell-shocked · catatonic
apprehensive
Fearful of future events
foreboding · trepidation · unease · anticipating · expecting · looming · impending · ominous · premonition · gut-wrenching
bloodcurdling
Extremely frightening or horrifying
- spine-chillingIntensely frightening or eerie
- nightmarishFrightening like bad dreams
- chillingCausing fear or cold
haunted · creepy · macabre · ghastly · gruesome · sinister · eerie · unnerving · hair-raising · bone-chilling
frenzied
Wildly out of control
- hystericalEmotionally out of control
- franticWildly anxious or desperate
- desperateDriven by urgent need
scrambling · fleeing · stampeding · chaotic · overwhelmed · uncontrollable · meltdown · screaming · flailing · wild-eyed
menaced
Threatened with harm
- intimidatedMade fearful by threat
- corneredUnable to flee
- stalkedFollowed stealthily with menace
hunted · vulnerable · defenseless · exposed · targeted · confronted · ambushed · trapped · surrounded · pursued
terrifiedunafraid
Lacking dread or alarm
fearless · unterrified · calm · unfrightened · secure