frighten into
phrasal verb
frightened into; frightening into; frightens into
: to cause (someone) to do (something) because of fear
The insurance agent tried to frighten her into buying the most expensive flood insurance.
They frightened the boy into confessing his crime.
Examples of frighten into in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Miller’s biggest miscalculation was thinking opponents would be frightened into submission and silence with his deportation blitzkrieg and ordinary Americans would join in.
—
Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
Victims may be frightened into silence.
—Nina A. Kohn, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
But Langan dropped the case the following month, frightened into silence by an LAPD lieutenant who threatened him and his family.
—Olatunji Osho-Williams, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 July 2025
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Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
Victims may be frightened into silence.
—Nina A. Kohn, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
But Langan dropped the case the following month, frightened into silence by an LAPD lieutenant who threatened him and his family.
—Olatunji Osho-Williams, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Frighten into.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frighten%20into. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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