आतंकित (aatankit)
adjective
A single-sense adjective meaning 'terrified' or 'panic-stricken' -- describes a person gripped by fear or terror, often in a somewhat formal or journalistic register.
Sense
1
:
terrified, panic-stricken
adjective Almost always paired with होना (honaa) or करना (karnaa): आतंकित होना (aatankit honaa, 'to become terrified') for the state, and आतंकित करना (aatankit karnaa, 'to terrorize/frighten') for the causative action done to someone else.
Synonyms: भयभीत (bhaybhiit), डरा हुआ (daraa huaa), सहमा हुआ (sahmaa huaa, huddled with fright), भयाक्रांत (bhayaakraant, literary)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This word shows up constantly in Hindi news reports -- 'गाँव के लोग आतंकित हैं' (gaanv ke log aatankit hain, 'the villagers are terrified') is the kind of line you'd hear describing fear caused by crime, violence, or natural disaster. It shares its root with आतंक (aatank, 'terror') and आतंकवाद (aatankvaad, 'terrorism'), so once you know this word, those two become easy to remember too.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for डरा हुआ (daraa huaa) in every context, but आतंकित (aatankit) is stronger and more formal -- it suggests being terrorized or gripped by dread (e.g. by violence, a threat, or a mob), not everyday nervousness like before an exam. 2) Remember the subject of fear takes आतंकित होना (aatankit honaa) while the one causing fear takes आतंकित करना (aatankit karnaa) -- learners sometimes flip the construction.
Sample Sentences:
बाढ़ की खबर सुनकर गाँव के लोग आतंकित हैं।
Hearing the news of the flood, the villagers are terrified.
(baadh kii khabar sunkar gaanv ke log aatankit hain।)
उस रात हुई गोलीबारी से पूरा मोहल्ला आतंकित हो गया था।
The entire neighborhood was terrified by the shooting that happened that night.
(us raat huii goliibaarii se pooraa mohallaa aatankit ho gayaa thaa।)
पुलिस की सख्ती से अपराधी आतंकित रहते हैं।
Criminals stay terrified because of the police's strictness.
(pulis kii sakhtii se apraadhii aatankit rahte hain।)
अगर वह अकेली सड़क पर चलती तो शायद आतंकित हो जाती।
If she had walked on that street alone, she might have become terrified.
(agar vah akelii sadak par chaltii to shaayad aatankit ho jaatii।)
इस तरह की धमकियों से आतंकित मत हो, पुलिस से शिकायत करो।
Don't be terrified by threats like this, file a complaint with the police.
(is tarah kii dhamkiyon se aatankit mat ho, pulis se shikaayat karo।)
सीमावर्ती इलाकों के निवासी लगातार गोलाबारी से आतंकित रहते हैं।
Residents of the border areas remain terrified by the continuous shelling.
(siimaavartii ilaakon ke nivaasii lagaataar golaabaarii se aatankit rahte hain।)
यह सुनिश्चित किया जाए कि कोई भी नागरिक इन घटनाओं से आतंकित न हो।
It should be ensured that no citizen is terrified by these incidents.
(yah sunishchit kiyaa jaae ki koii bhii naagrik in ghatnaaon se aatankit n ho।)
मासूम बच्चे उस भयानक चेहरे को देखकर आतंकित हो गए।
The innocent children became terrified upon seeing that horrifying face.
(maasoom bachche us bhayaanak chehre ko dekhkar aatankit ho gae।)
जनता इतनी आतंकित है कि रात के बाद कोई घर से नहीं निकलता।
The public is so terrified that no one steps out of their house after nightfall.
(jantaa itnii aatankit hai ki raat ke baad koii ghar se nahiin nikaltaa।)
क्षेत्र के लोग आवारा कुत्तों के झुंड से आतंकित हैं।
People in the area are terrified of the pack of stray dogs.
(kshetr ke log aavaaraa kutton ke jhund se aatankit hain।)
Morphology
Adjective (invariant)
invariant:
आतंकित
(aatankit)