as in to scare
to strike with fear
around the campfire the campers tried to frighten one another with ghostly legends and grisly tales
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Recent Examples of frighten
Powell tried to open the stall door, and then began fondling himself, frightening the 11-year-old, who tried to leave, but Powell blocked him from getting out.
—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
Eagle uses bullying and tricks to frighten the other birds and take what belongs to them, leading to serious consequences.
—
Eric E. Harrison,
Arkansas Online,
3 June 2026
However, Erickson had already awoken and confronted him with the gun to try to frighten him.
—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
1 June 2026
This war has been a disaster for them, frightening away foreign investors, tourists and talent and burdening them with a future of huge new defense bills to deter Iran after the United States is gone.
—
Thomas L. Friedman,
Mercury News,
15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for frighten
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
Eagle uses bullying and tricks to frighten the other birds and take what belongs to them, leading to serious consequences.
—
Eric E. Harrison,
Arkansas Online,
3 June 2026
However, Erickson had already awoken and confronted him with the gun to try to frighten him.
—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
1 June 2026
This war has been a disaster for them, frightening away foreign investors, tourists and talent and burdening them with a future of huge new defense bills to deter Iran after the United States is gone.
—
Thomas L. Friedman,
Mercury News,
15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for frighten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frighten
Verb
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Don’t be scared by his blue eyes.
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The intent of the letters isn’t to scare people, but to educate them about water stewardship, Talbott said.
Verb
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Supporters — many of them wearing Colombia’s yellow and red colors — rushed the gates at the home stadium of the NFL's Miami Dolphins, leaving fans terrified and bloodied as security struggled to contain the rush.
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In La Guaira, entire sections of Catia la Mar remained without electricity on Thursday after many residents spent Wednesday night sleeping in streets, cars or near damaged buildings, terrified of further collapses.
Verb
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The mobile phone alert startled many across the city-state of Dubai, the first such alert since the interim ceasefire.
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Lansley said she has been startled by how chatbots can appear to display emotional intelligence.
Verb
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Critics warn the measure could spook some of California’s highest earners into moving out of fear of future taxes, jeopardizing the state’s long-term fiscal health.
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At the same time, China’s auto industry is spooking established automakers in North America, Europe and Asia, according to AlixPartners.
Cite this Entry
“Frighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frighten. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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