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
Verb
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There are no effective repellents or devices that frighten away raccoons.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
18 Oct. 2025 -
One, frightened, pressed her belly into the pavement.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Carter Taylor of Kansas City, an elementary school educator and legislative chair for the Kansas City Federation of Teachers, said efforts to privatize education should scare parents.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
19 Oct. 2025
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Playing on parental fears, The Babadook has been scaring the daylights out of us for a solid decade now.—
Gwen Ihnat,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Usually when a pet is terrified of kennel life, a shelter moves quickly to find a loving foster to provide comfort, which is what happened with this little one.—
TJ Macias,
Kansas City Star,
20 Oct. 2025
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Grasso is terrified of being found out as the mole in the task force.—
Grace Byron,
Vulture,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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It’s designed for convenience and quiet operation, featuring a sleep mode that won't startle anyone.—
Christine Persaud,
USA Today,
11 Oct. 2025
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Who jumped, startled, when Rey laughed nervously.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
10 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Affright.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affright. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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