terrorize

Compared meaning: to make someone feel very afraid (verb).

比较义项：使某人感到强烈恐惧（动词）。

• terrify

  Focuses on the intensity of the fear itself; the cause can be anything, including accidents, animals or weather, and need not be deliberate or repeated.

  强调恐惧本身的强烈程度；起因可以是任何事物，包括意外、动物或天气，不一定是故意或反复的行为。

  Loud thunderstorms terrify our dog every single time.

  每次雷声很大的暴风雨，都会把我们家的狗吓得魂飞魄散。

• terrorize 本词

  Implies frightening someone on purpose, often repeatedly and through violence or threats, in order to intimidate or control them; carries a hostile, criminal tone.

  意味着故意使人恐惧，常常通过暴力或威胁反复进行，目的是胁迫或控制对方；带有敌意、犯罪意味的语气。

  The masked robbers tried to terrorize the small shop owners.

  蒙面的抢劫犯试图恐吓这些小店主。

Both words mean to make someone very afraid. Terrify focuses on how intense the fear is; the cause can be anything and does not need to be deliberate. Terrorize implies frightening someone on purpose, often repeatedly, using violence or threats to intimidate or control them.

这两个词都表示让人感到害怕，但侧重点不同：terrify强调恐惧本身的强烈程度，起因可以是任何事物，不一定出于故意；terrorize则强调故意、常常反复地用暴力或威胁手段使人恐惧，带有胁迫、控制的意味。