Terrorism is the use of violencePhysical force intended to hurt, damage, or cause fear. or the threatA statement or sign that harm may happen. of violence to frighten people and pressure governments or groups into giving in to political, religious, or ideologicalRelated to a system of beliefs or ideas about society. demands.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈtɛrərɪzəm/
Easy pronunciation: TER-uh-ri-zum (approximate spelling).
Stress: Primary stress is on the first syllable.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Terrorism Meaning
using violence or threats to scare people and force a political or ideological result
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the calculated use of violence or threats of violence against civilians to achieve political, religious, or ideological goals, often by intimidation or fear
Example: The attack was widely condemned as an act of terrorism.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- act of terrorism — A direct synonym when referring to a specific terrorist incident.
- terrorist act — A direct synonym for a violent act carried out as terrorism.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Terrorism Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- act of terrorism
- terrorist act
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not use terrorism to mean any act of violence. It usually refers to violence used for political, religious, or ideological purposes.
- Do not confuse terrorism with terrorism-related words like terrorist, terror, or terrorize; they are related but not the same part of speech or meaning.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does terrorism mean?
Terrorism means using violence or threats of violence to scare people and push political, religious, or ideological demands.
What are the synonyms of terrorism?
The closest direct synonyms in the supplied data are act of terrorism and terrorist act.
Is terrorism always political?
In the supplied definition, it is linked to political, religious, or ideological goals.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
