terrifying
/ˈtɛɹɪfaɪ.ɪŋ/adjective, verb
terrifying is spelled T-E-R-R-I-F-Y-I-N-G: 10 letters and 4 syllables. It appears 8.9 times per million words in written English, the 7,672nd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, terrifying means “Frightening or intimidating” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in terrifying?
| Letters | 10: T-E-R-R-I-F-Y-I-N-G |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 4 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 8.9 times per million words; the 7,672nd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is terrifying?
Terrifying appears 8.9 times per million words in written English, the 7,672nd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce terrifying?
- /ˈtɛɹɪfaɪ.ɪŋ/
Terrifying has 4 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-terrifying.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of terrifying
- more terrifying comparative
- most terrifying superlative
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does terrifying mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Frightening or intimidating.
terrifying creature
- 2
Of a formidable nature; terrific.
verb
- 1
present participle and gerund of terrify
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Terrifying in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense frightening or intimidating:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | terrifiant |
| German | furchteinflößend, schreckerregend |
| Spanish | terrorífico, aterrador, aterrorizante, terrífico, acojonante, truculento |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.