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 of frightening

• terrifying
• scary
• formidable
• horrible
• terrible
• intimidating

Examples of frightening in a Sentence

a truly frightening movie

Recent Examples on the Web

How about the less-frightening scenarios? —Craig MacLellan, Boston Herald, 3 Apr. 2026

Now, parents who haven’t experienced the frightening effects of the highly contagious and fast-moving infection are increasingly opting out of vaccinating their kids against Hib. —Erika Edwards, NBC news, 2 Apr. 2026

The grateful father and mother, identified by MDA as Nikola and Violet, said the experience was frightening but that the emergency team helped keep them calm. —Eric MacK, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2026

And in another gruesome moment, there is a frightening shot of dozens of wedding guests covered in blood, with bodies strewn across a banquet hall. —Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026

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