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

What separates Hush from other slasher films of its ilk is how Flanagan and Siegel give its main character sharp instincts and depth, as well as a frightening use of silence. —Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026

Together these events nearly ended western civilization, a possibility made even more frightening today by the existence of nuclear weapons. —Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026

Moments later, the situation escalated in the most frightening way. —Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 29 Jan. 2026

Over the past month, Americans have faced overwhelming, heartbreaking and frightening news. —Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 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