<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2011-03-22</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000097216</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TEREX CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TEX</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001488168</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Hegarty Kieran</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O TEREX CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>200 NYALA FARM ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WESTPORT</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06880</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President, Materials Processin</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $.01</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-03-22</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5634</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>67272</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $.01</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-03-22</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3877</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>71149</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $.01</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-03-22</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3877</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>75026</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares granted pursuant to one of the Company's long-term incentive plans with the award vesting as follows: 1/3 on March 22, 2012; 1/3 on March 22, 2013; and 1/3 on March 22, 2014.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Shares granted pursuant to one of the Company's long-term incentive plans with the award scheduled to vest in the first quarter of 2014 if the Company achieves a targeted percentile rank against a peer group of companies for three year annualized total shareholder return (&quot;TSR&quot;) for the period January 1, 2011 - December 31, 2013.  The number of shares in this grant are subject to adjustment, up or down, based upon attainment above or below the targeted percentile rank.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Shares granted pursuant to one of the Company's long-term incentive plans with the award scheduled to vest in the first quarter of 2014 if the Company achieves a targeted earnings per share (&quot;EPS&quot;) in each of 2011, 2012 and 2013.  The number of shares in this grant are subject to adjustment, up or down, based upon attainment above or below the targeted EPS.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Scott J. Posner, power of attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-03-24</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0303
4
2011-03-22
0000097216
TEREX CORP
TEX
0001488168
Hegarty Kieran
C/O TEREX CORPORATION
200 NYALA FARM ROAD
WESTPORT
CT
06880
0
1
0
0
President, Materials Processin
Common Stock, par value $.01
2011-03-22
4
A
0
5634
0
A
67272
D
Common Stock, par value $.01
2011-03-22
4
A
0
3877
0
A
71149
D
Common Stock, par value $.01
2011-03-22
4
A
0
3877
0
A
75026
D
Shares granted pursuant to one of the Company's long-term incentive plans with the award vesting as follows: 1/3 on March 22, 2012; 1/3 on March 22, 2013; and 1/3 on March 22, 2014.
Shares granted pursuant to one of the Company's long-term incentive plans with the award scheduled to vest in the first quarter of 2014 if the Company achieves a targeted percentile rank against a peer group of companies for three year annualized total shareholder return ("TSR") for the period January 1, 2011 - December 31, 2013.  The number of shares in this grant are subject to adjustment, up or down, based upon attainment above or below the targeted percentile rank.
Shares granted pursuant to one of the Company's long-term incentive plans with the award scheduled to vest in the first quarter of 2014 if the Company achieves a targeted earnings per share ("EPS") in each of 2011, 2012 and 2013.  The number of shares in this grant are subject to adjustment, up or down, based upon attainment above or below the targeted EPS.
/s/Scott J. Posner, power of attorney
2011-03-24