What occurs when an individual is overwhelmed with a feeling of impending danger?

When an individual is overwhelmed with a feeling of impending danger, the experience can be accurately described as terror. This intense emotional state is characterized by extreme fear, often leading to a panic response. Terror goes beyond basic fear; it encompasses a profound sense of helplessness and an acute awareness of potential peril.

While fear is a commonplace emotion that alerts individuals to threats, and dread reflects a sense of anticipation regarding something negative that may happen, terror signifies a more extreme reaction. It is often accompanied by physical symptoms like shortness of breath or a racing heart, which manifest when a person perceives an immediate and serious threat. Therefore, in this context, the most fitting term to describe the overwhelming feeling of impending danger is terror due to its intensity and the depth of emotional response it entails.