What does terrifyingly mean?
Terrifyingly is an adverb meaning in a way that causes terror or extreme fear. It is formed directly from the adjective terrifying and is often used to modify another adjective or adverb, as in “terrifyingly fast,” “terrifyingly close,” or “terrifyingly beautiful.” Its force can come from the literal sense of causing fear, but it also frequently serves as a vivid intensifier, roughly like “alarmingly” or “extremely.” The word has a dramatic, memorable quality that makes it especially effective in journalism, literary prose, speech, and informal conversation. In everyday usage, it may carry some exaggeration: a performance might be called terrifyingly good even when the comparison is primarily emphatic. Terrifyingly is used in both British and American English and can modify qualities involving danger, speed, scale, precision, beauty, or emotional impact.
adverbIn a way that causes terror or extreme fear; to an alarmingly or overwhelmingly intense degree.
- In a way that causes terror or extreme fear.
"The cliff edge was terrifyingly close, and the wind tore at our clothes as we approached it."
"The dragon appeared out of the darkness, its scale and claws terrifyingly lifelike."
"She was terrifyingly calm while the emergency team worked around her."
Terrifyingly began as a simple way to turn an adjective into an adverb, but in modern use it often works like an intensifier: something can be terrifyingly fast without literally being terrifying.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does terrifyingly come from?
Terrifyingly is formed from the adjective terrifying by the productive adverbial suffix -ly. The underlying word terrify comes through French from Latin terror, meaning “fear” or “fright,” and is related to English words such as terror, terrible, and terrorize.
How terrifyingly is actually used
Terrifyingly is expressive and strongly emphatic. It is common in journalism, speech, literary writing, and informal conversation, especially when describing speed, beauty, effectiveness, danger, or closeness. It can function rhetorically as an intensifier rather than literally implying terror.
Easily confused with terrifyingly
Terrifying is the adjective meaning “causing terror,” whereas terrifyingly is the adverb meaning “in a terrifying way” or “to a terrifying degree.”
Terrifically can mean “in a terrific or impressive manner” and is often used to mean “very well,” while terrifyingly relates specifically to causing terror or extreme alarm.