frightened

adjective

fright·​ened ˈfrī-tᵊnd How to pronounce frightened (audio)
: feeling fear : made to feel afraid
a badly frightened child
The farmer was hurrying out into the road, and his wife was standing at the gate, looking very frightened.Anna Sewell

Examples of frightened in a Sentence

I am frightened of the dark
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Instead, federal authorities are hiding, apparently too frightened of online provocateurs and in-person hecklers to do their duty in plain sight. Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2025 Others who live close to the jail were downright frightened. Chris Kenning, USA Today, 17 June 2025 Unrestrained pets in unfamiliar circumstances can become frightened or startled and may panic and run into traffic or away from you. Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025 Seabrook, at age 4, was frightened and intimidated. Heller McAlpin, Christian Science Monitor, 3 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for frightened

Word History

Etymology

from past participle of frighten

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of frightened was in 1591

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Frightened.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frightened. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

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