# reign of terror

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. A brutal period of political violence and intimidation in the wake of a popular revolution.
2. A period defined by tyranny and violation of rights without accountability for the party responsible.

## Etymology
From the Reign of Terror that took place during the French Revolution.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/reign-of-terror