frightening

adjective

fright·​en·​ing ˈfrī-tᵊn-iŋ 

ˈfrīt-niŋ

: causing fear

frightening news

a very frightening experience

The man with red eyes made the frightening grimace that passed for his smile.

—Madeleine L'Engle

For a man who had tussled with crocs, venomous snakes and other frightening creatures, this was going to be a leisurely swim.

—Jennifer Wulff et al.

Synonyms

• alarming
• dire
• direful
• dread
• dreadful
• fearful
• fearsome
• forbidding
• formidable
• frightful
• ghastly
• hair-raising
• horrendous
• horrible
• horrifying
• intimidating
• redoubtable
• scary
• shocking
• spine-chilling
• terrible
• terrifying

Examples of frightening in a Sentence

a truly frightening movie

Recent Examples on the Web

Major cities like New York were already facing frightening death tolls that climbed higher each day—but that’s not what Eddington is about. —Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 17 May 2025

And that was a very clear and real and frightening constant thought. —Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 May 2025

Have algorithmic pressures shifted what feels frightening and meaningful for high-schoolers now? —Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 8 May 2025

The list extends to golfers such as Rory McIlroy and Gary Woodland, who used breathwork to calm himself after facing frightening symptoms related to a brain lesion. —Rustin Dodd, New York Times, 1 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of frighten

First Known Use

1652, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for frightening

• brightening
• heightening
• lightening
• tightening
• whitening
• enlightening