frightened; frightening
ˈfrī-tᵊn-iŋ 
ˈfrīt-niŋ
1
: to make afraid : terrify
The movie scene frightened the child.
2
a
: to drive or force by frightening
—used with into
frightened the boy into confessing
b
: to cause to go or stay away through fear
—often used with away or off
The dog frightened the prowler away.
The high prices frighten off tourists.
: to become frightened
She doesn't frighten easily.
Examples of frighten in a Sentence
The story really frightened me.
The child was badly frightened by the mask.
Recent Examples on the Web
At the time of writing, as the Marine Traffic map shows, tanker traffic is barely moving through the Strait, and many ships, unable to obtain insurance or with their owners frightened at the level of risk involved, are refusing to advance.
—
Ariel Cohen,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
But because the president has frightened Congress, Congress doesn’t raise its voice when the president puts his Albert Speer–like building project, or intends to, on Congress’s land.
—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
1 July 2026
Morocco finished level on points with Brazil in Group C and frightened Carlo Ancelotti’s side in the first half of their entertaining encounter.
—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
29 June 2026
The thing that frightens me isn’t that machines will replace people.
—
Maria Colacurcio,
Fortune,
28 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for frighten
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Ariel Cohen,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
But because the president has frightened Congress, Congress doesn’t raise its voice when the president puts his Albert Speer–like building project, or intends to, on Congress’s land.
—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
1 July 2026
Morocco finished level on points with Brazil in Group C and frightened Carlo Ancelotti’s side in the first half of their entertaining encounter.
—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
29 June 2026
The thing that frightens me isn’t that machines will replace people.
—
Maria Colacurcio,
Fortune,
28 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for frighten
Cite this Entry
“Frighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frighten. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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