frightened

adjective

fright·​ened ˈfrī-tᵊnd How to pronounce frightened (audio)
Synonyms of frightenednext
: 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.
Flavia Pupo, a manager at a hotel in Pinar del Río, told AP that the shaking rattled the building and frightened people in the area. CBS News, 8 June 2026 The entries never become frightened. Kate Casey, Vanity Fair, 2 June 2026 Fireworks set off without authorization in Rome reportedly triggered a mass stampede of frightened horses during a late-night rehearsal for Italy’s annual Republic Day parade, injuring multiple riders and animals. Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026 The Americans in that Nebraska unit are isolated and frightened. Craig Spencer, STAT, 13 May 2026 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

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Cite this Entry

“Frightened.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frightened. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.

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