terror
gb/tˈɛɹɚ/ us/tˈɛɹɚ/
B2
Inglês
~ 5500
Aceções
0 aceções
Nome
B2
state
1
extreme, overwhelming fear
A very strong feeling of fear.
Padrão de uso:
feel terror at [something]
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes use "terror" when they mean normal fear. "Terror" is much stronger than "fear" and is used for very frightening situations. They may also confuse "terror" (the feeling) with "terrorism" (politically motivated violence).
Sinónimos
horror (Often suggests shock or disgust as well as fear.)
|
dread (More about fear of something expected in the future.)
|
panic (Emphasizes sudden fear that makes it hard to think clearly.)
Antónimos
calm (Absence of strong emotion or fear.)
|
courage (Ability to face fear or danger without being controlled by it.)
Colocações
sheer terror
|in terror
|scream in terror
|shake with terror
|be filled with terror
Temas
emotions
|safety
|violence
|core_vocabulary
Exemplos
- She woke up in terror after the nightmare.
- As the plane dropped suddenly, a wave of terror swept through the passengers.
- He remembers the terror he felt when he heard someone trying to open the door.
- Children ran in terror when the fire alarm sounded.
- The look of pure terror on his face told us something was very wrong.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- The little girl cried in terror when she saw the snake.
- I felt terror when the car almost hit us.
- He stood in terror and could not move.
- They watched in terror as the storm came closer.
Nome
C1
action
2
political violence used to intimidate
Violent acts used to scare people for political reasons.
Padrão de uso:
use terror against [a group]
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes use "terror" when native speakers would more often use "terrorism" (for example, saying "global terror" instead of the more common "global terrorism"). "Terror" in this sense is often used in fixed phrases like "acts of terror" or "campaign of terror."
Sinónimos
terrorism (More common and explicit term in modern political and news language.)
|
repression (Focuses more on control and limiting freedom than on fear itself.)
Antónimos
peace (Absence of violent conflict or attacks.)
|
security (Condition in which people are protected from such violent acts.)
Colocações
campaign of terror
|acts of terror
|state terror
|war on terror
|spread terror
Temas
politics
|violence
|security
|law
Exemplos
- The regime used terror to silence all political opposition.
- The bombings were meant to spread terror among the civilian population.
- International leaders condemned the attacks as acts of terror.
- Communities that have lived through years of terror often struggle to rebuild trust.
- The new law aims to prevent the financing of terror.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- The group used terror to control the town.
- People lived under terror during the war.
- The attack was an act of terror against the city.
- The government promised to fight terror inside the country.
Nome
informal
B2
entity
3
very naughty or troublesome person
A very naughty or difficult person, usually a child, who causes a lot of trouble.
Padrão de uso:
[someone] is a real terror
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes confuse this informal meaning with the basic idea of fear. In expressions like "He is a little terror," it does not mean that people feel terror; it means he is very naughty or difficult.
Sinónimos
brat (Stronger negative tone; often suggests a spoiled child.)
|
troublemaker (More general; not limited to children.)
Antónimos
angel (Informal, often used about a child who is very well behaved.)
|
well-behaved child (Neutral, directly contrasts with a naughty or difficult child.)
Colocações
little terror
|real terror
|absolute terror
|holy terror
Temas
family
|character
|daily life
|relationships
|daily_life
Exemplos
- Their youngest son is a real terror in the classroom.
- My nephew was an absolute terror at the restaurant, running around and shouting.
- She can be a little terror when she doesn’t get her own way.
- The new puppy is a terror, chewing everything he can find.
- He was a holy terror as a teenager but calmed down in his twenties.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- Her five-year-old is a little terror at home.
- The boy was a terror and would not listen to the teacher.
- My sister says her dog is a terror when guests come.
- I was a real terror when I was a child.
Nome
C1
entity
4
very frightening aspects of something
The very scary parts of something, like war or a disease.
Padrão de uso:
the terrors of [something]
Erro comum:
Learners may not realize that "terror" here often appears in the plural "terrors" and usually in fixed phrases like "the terrors of war" rather than as a general countable noun.
Sinónimos
horrors (Very close in meaning; often interchangeable in set phrases like "the horrors of war.")
Antónimos
comforts (Highlights pleasant or safe aspects instead of frightening ones.)
Colocações
the terrors of war
|the terrors of the night
|the terrors of dictatorship
|relive the terrors
Temas
violence
|health
|history
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Exemplos
- He wrote a book describing the terrors of war he had witnessed.
- Many refugees still remember the terrors of the journey.
- The film shows the terrors of life under a brutal dictatorship.
- As a child, she often lay awake, imagining the terrors of the night.
- Survivors spoke quietly about the terrors they had lived through.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- The movie shows the terrors of war.
- My grandfather does not like to talk about the terrors of the past.
- The book tells us about the terrors of living under that government.
- People tried to forget the terrors of the long winter.
Gramática
Forma de dicionário
terror
IPA
GB/tˈɛɹɚ/
US/tˈɛɹɚ/
Sílabas e acento
ter - ror (2 sílabas)
Stress on 1st syllable (ter)
Formas da palavra
Noun
- Base: terror
- Plural: terror, terrors
Família de palavras
Expressões
holy terror
1/hˈoʊli tˈɛɹɚ/
idiom
informal
very naughty or difficult person
A very naughty or difficult person, usually a child, who causes a lot of trouble.
Exemplos
- Their youngest is a holy terror when he’s tired.
- She was a holy terror at school but very sweet at home.
- That dog is a holy terror if you leave him alone too long.
in terror
1/ˈɪn tˈɛɹɚ/
fixed phrase
in a state of terror
Feeling very strong fear at that moment.
Exemplos
- The children hid under the table in terror.
- She froze in terror when she heard the footsteps behind her.
- They watched in terror as the fire spread across the field.
live in terror (of)
1/lˈɪv ˈɪn tˈɛɹɚ əv/
idiom
live while constantly extremely afraid
To feel very strong fear all the time because of something or someone.
Exemplos
- Many citizens lived in terror of the secret police.
- She lives in terror that her visa will not be renewed.
- For years he lived in terror of his violent neighbor.
night terrors
1/nˈaɪt tˈɛɹɚz/
fixed phrase
episodes of extreme fear during sleep
A sleep problem, usually in children, when they suddenly show extreme fear at night but are not fully awake.
Exemplos
- Their son began having night terrors when he was three years old.
- Night terrors can be frightening for parents to watch.
- The doctor explained that night terrors are different from normal nightmares.
reign of terror
1/ɹˈeɪn əv tˈɛɹɚ/
fixed phrase
period of rule using fear and violence
A period of time when leaders or a group control people by using violence and making them very afraid.
Exemplos
- The dictator’s reign of terror lasted more than a decade.
- History books describe the reign of terror that followed the revolution.
- The gang’s reign of terror in the neighborhood ended when the police made several arrests.
strike terror into
1/stɹˈaɪk tˈɛɹɚ ˈɪntu/
idiom
cause someone extreme fear
To make someone feel very strong fear.
Exemplos
- The sound of the siren struck terror into the hearts of the villagers.
- The news of the attack struck terror into everyone who lived in the city.
- Stories of the disease struck terror into communities around the world.
war on terror
1/wˈɔɹ ˈɔn tˈɛɹɚ/
fixed phrase
campaign against terrorism
The name for political and military actions by some countries to fight terrorism, especially after 2001.
Exemplos
- Many countries joined the war on terror after the attacks.
- The war on terror changed foreign policy around the world.
- People still debate whether the war on terror was effective.