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

That was followed by frightening moment when Pitt and his dog cross a river, and Pitt’s effort to keep his dog from falling leads himself to wind up in the water. —Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026

That can be frightening or flattering. —Ben Croll, IndieWire, 12 May 2026

Such obsession can be a frightening emotion both for the person experiencing it and for the target. —Alex Barasch, New Yorker, 11 May 2026

Even more frightening is a judge apologizing to an assassin who risked the lives of 2,000 people while attempting to assassinate the president and his cabinet. —Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 8 May 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