1
as in terrifying
causing fear
a frightful sound emanated from somewhere deep within the forest
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gruesome
extremely disturbing or repellent
I couldn't listen to the frightful details of the murder trial
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3
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
flew into a frightful fit of rage
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of frightful
What the Voice of the People is saying is: ‘Look at that frightful ass Spode swanking about in footer bags.
—
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
Moments after the game begins, a frightful hurricane takes young Hazel Flood’s home.
—Harold Goldberg, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Needless to say, those of us who remember 1987 are trembling, and were expecting a frightful jobs report.
—Eli Amdur, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Looking up at the sky and seeing the moon turn red can be a frightful but also intriguing sight.
—Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for frightful
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
Moments after the game begins, a frightful hurricane takes young Hazel Flood’s home.
—Harold Goldberg, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Needless to say, those of us who remember 1987 are trembling, and were expecting a frightful jobs report.
—Eli Amdur, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Looking up at the sky and seeing the moon turn red can be a frightful but also intriguing sight.
—Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for frightful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frightful
Adjective
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The terrifying moment that passengers were made to put on oxygen masks was captured on video.—
Latoya Gayle,
People.com,
1 July 2025
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When the body of a young man is found eerily staged in the idyllic Scottish wilderness, detective Monica Kennedy fears this is just the beginning of a terrifying campaign that will strike the heart of a rural community.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
1 July 2025
Adjective
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Accounts of government and police repression have only gotten more gruesome, with Amnesty Kenya reporting that 16 people have been shot and killed as of June 28 and local officials claiming that hundreds have been injured (while also alleging that most of those hurt were police officers).—
Mankaprr Conteh,
Rolling Stone,
30 June 2025
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Forget turning on some gruesome horror movie: reading the daily headlines is enough to make just about anyone scream.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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The long jump was not the only field event that delivered intense competition.—
Katelyn Hutchison,
Forbes.com,
6 July 2025
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Early Friday morning, intense rain caused flash flooding across Texas Hill Country.—
Rebecca Angel Baer,
Southern Living,
6 July 2025
Adjective
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In short, because the Ukrainians have put up a formidable defense.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
9 July 2025
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Given the progress North Korea has made since 2019, however, Pyongyang would still retain a nuclear arsenal formidable enough to make any foreign attack unthinkable.—
ANDREI LANKOV,
Foreign Affairs,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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Throughout the Holocaust, the Nazis concentrated European Jews in urban ghettos, which were marked by horrific living conditions, forced labor and the threat of execution.—
Tom Dreisbach,
NPR,
30 June 2025
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And that's a tough sell to a jury that spent weeks listening to horrific testimony about Diddy and his empire.—
Lauryn Overhultz,
FOXNews.com,
29 June 2025
Adjective
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Oftentimes, enrolling in an intensive language program qualifies someone for a student visa, depending on the requirements of that country (more on that later).—
Chloe Arrojado,
AFAR Media,
27 June 2025
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Designed to withstand intensive training, Lacoste’s abrasion-resistant piqué fabric is made with Ultra Dry moisture-wicking technology for more breathable wear.—
Lauren Alexis Fisher,
Footwear News,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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The great outdoors can be a big and frightening place, especially for cats who have only seen it from the safety of the great indoors.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
7 July 2025
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Moreover, if their environment is unpredictable, frightening, or volatile, some children learn that any disagreement could lead to danger and try to bury their feelings to avoid conflict and maintain a sense of peace.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Parents,
7 July 2025
Adjective
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Vegas bounced back from a terrible loss to the Fever with an 86-68 win over the Sun on Sunday.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 July 2025
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And because of that, it’s shielded us from the terrible things that happen downstream in the supply chain.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
8 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Frightful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frightful. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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