as in horror
the quality of inspiring intense dread or dismay
had heard stories about the frightfulness of the entrance exams
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frightfulness
Noun
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Barbie Ferreira delivers a gothic black look at the premiere of her new horror Faces of Death in Los Angeles on April 6.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
7 Apr. 2026 -
Devastated by grief and horror beneath her armor, yet so valiant in public.—
TIME,
Time,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The type of atrocities that Holland saw in Sinjar persist today.—
John Blake,
CNN Money,
5 Apr. 2026
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Ghaemi said that this language was reminiscent of the propaganda that helped fuel and justify other historic atrocities, such as the massacres in Myanmar or Rwanda.—
Cora Engelbrecht,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
No amount of gore or ghastliness is off limits for the series, produced by horror champions Blumhouse, as Nicole Kidman's titular medical examiner pores over the remains of the dead.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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And to the abject awfulness of such robber barons as Misters Carnegie, Gould, and Frick.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Perhaps its incorporation of vogue ideas dazzles critics who might otherwise discern its awfulness (Amazon’s Transparent).—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Frightfulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frightfulness. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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