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
Tens of millions of dollars have been spent to redefine reality and to convince our neighbors that this new age is something that should frighten them.
—
Time Video, Time, 5 Nov. 2025
And while the other stuff — the hallucinations, strange noises, the eerie soundscape — might frighten from time to time, Alma is what’s truly scary, forcing players to perpetually keep their flashlight on and doublechecking every corner.
—Will Borger, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025
Malik’s boss is not happy that Malik doesn’t have a grip on the Crane brothers, though Malik assures him that Amos frightened Sarah into backing off — and that Dinah is tucked away at a safe house.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2025
Don’t be frightened, though, fans; The Parent Trap gal is still in the competition!
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for frighten
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.
Time Video, Time, 5 Nov. 2025
And while the other stuff — the hallucinations, strange noises, the eerie soundscape — might frighten from time to time, Alma is what’s truly scary, forcing players to perpetually keep their flashlight on and doublechecking every corner.
—Will Borger, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025
Malik’s boss is not happy that Malik doesn’t have a grip on the Crane brothers, though Malik assures him that Amos frightened Sarah into backing off — and that Dinah is tucked away at a safe house.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2025
Don’t be frightened, though, fans; The Parent Trap gal is still in the competition!
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for frighten
Cite this Entry
“Frighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frighten. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share