terrorizar

Terrorizar is a Spanish transitive verb meaning to cause someone to become terrified or to intimidate, typically through threats, coercive actions, or displays of power. It can refer to individuals, groups, or populations and is used in literal contexts (inflicting fear through violence or intimidation) as well as in figurative contexts (overwhelming someone with fear or pressure). In legal and sociological discourse, the term often appears when describing patterns of intimidation or abuses of power.

Etymology and conjugation: The word derives from the noun terror with the suffix -izar, forming a regular -ar verb. Its present tense forms are: yo terrorizo, tú terrorizas, él terroriza, nosotros terrorizamos, vosotros terrorizáis, ellos terrorizan. Other tenses follow standard -ar conjugation patterns. The verb commonly appears with the preposition a: terrorizar a alguien, terrorizar a una comunidad.

Usage and nuance: Terrorizar implies sustained fear or coercion rather than a single moment of fright. It is frequently used in discussions of bullying, abuse, authoritarian regimes, or organized crime, as well as in historical or political analyses describing campaigns of fear. Synonyms include aterrorizar and intimidar, while malos matices can be conveyed by atacar, amenazar, or acorralar. Antonyms such as tranquilizar or calmar indicate the opposite effect.

Examples and contexts: "El régimen decidió terrorizar a la población para evitar protestas." "La campaña de acoso busca terrorizar a la víctima." The term is adaptable to both concrete actions and broader social phenomena.

See also: terror, terrorización, terrorismo, aterrorizar, intimidación.