affright

verb

ə-ˈfrīt How to pronounce affright (audio)
Definition of affrightnext
as in to frighten
to strike with fear a ghastly sight that would affright any person

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for affright
  1. frighten
  2. scare
  3. terrify
  4. startle
Verb
  • Her mount, meanwhile, is frightened by lightning and runs off.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The rising cost of health care has frightened many people, including those with health insurance.
    — Cara Kelly, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of frighten
Verb
  • Fly fishing taught me that forcing the outcome usually scares it away.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The European Union’s top diplomat said Russia’s army is struggling to make progress on the front line and wants to scare off Ukraine’s Western backers with its air campaign.
    — Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of scare
Verb
  • Looking back on taking over a character so closely associated with Parton, Hilty once admitted that the prospect of playing Doralee with Parton watching initially terrified her.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Jaylen Edgar, the teenager tried for the 2024 Halloween mass shooting in downtown Orlando that killed two, injured several others and terrified thousands, was found guilty of all charges Monday.
    — Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of terrify
Verb
  • Her characters appears to startle Jeanie in one photo, clad in a chic black and gold ensemble.
    — Erin Jensen, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The unpredictable motion scares them off, startling them and throwing them off balance.
    — Molly Burford, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of startle
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

affrays
affright
affrighted
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Cite this Entry

“Affright.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affright. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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