1. (

• terrorization ,
• terrorisation ,
• frightening

) the act of inspiring with fear ;

1. (

• frighten ,
• fright ,
• scare ,
• affright

) cause fear in; "The stranger who hangs around the building frightens me"; "Ghosts could never affright her" ;

1. (

• awful ,
• dire ,
• direful ,
• dread ,
• dreaded ,
• dreadful ,
• fearful ,
• fearsome ,
• frightening ,
• horrendous ,
• horrific ,
• terrible

) causing fear or dread or terror; "the awful war"; "an awful risk"; "dire news"; "a career or vengeance so direful that London was shocked"; "the dread presence of the headmaster"; "polio is no longer the dreaded disease it once was"; "a dreadful storm"; "a fearful howling"; "horrendous explosions shook the city"; "a terrible curse" ;