From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishreign of terrorreign of terrora period when a ruler or a government kills many of their political opponents → reign
Examples from the Corpus
reign of terror• One of the H. Fire development bright colours within only a few days and began a reign of terror.• He led a reign of terror until his conversion to Catholicism in 989.• He was, simultaneously, a loving father and sensitive poet and a ruthless dictator who presided over a reign of terror.• The Grantley Ripper looked set for a long reign of terror.• The invasion ended the four-year-long reign of terror.• Some reformists suggest it was part of a proposed reign of terror.• The team is based in a local government building, bugged during Ceaucescu's reign of terror.• Heaven knows what his victim had been eating before the battle, but it ended Seiguard's reign of terror, permanently.• The 53-year-old railway worker abused his stepdaughter and two step-granddaughters in a 12-year reign of terror. 