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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The goal of strengthening Washington’s presence should be to reassure partners that U.S. pressure is designed to create stronger alliances, not to pave the way for abandonment, as well as to ensure that resisting China is viable for countries that are frightened by Beijing.—
A. Wess Mitchell,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Apr. 2025 -
The American Declaration of Independence and Constitution frightened monarchies and despots around the world without a single bullet or gunboat.—
Bruce Fein,
Baltimore Sun,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Start to say no to distractions that do not serve your higher purpose, and start saying yes to the things that challenge you, stretch you and even scare you a little.—
Melissa Sierra,
Forbes.com,
7 May 2025
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What scares and excites you about where AI is headed for the next generation of artists?—
Lily Marks,
Time,
5 May 2025
Verb
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The prospective repercussions terrify the corner of the AI universe concerned about safety, industry experts said, particularly as leading players pursue artificial general intelligence, or AGI, which is technology that rivals or exceeds human intelligence.—
Hayden Field,Jonathan Vanian,Jennifer Elias,
CNBC,
14 May 2025
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The radiotherapy had caused swelling in my brain—apparently a normal response, but still terrifying.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 May 2025
Verb
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Sea pens can produce a bioluminescent glow when disturbed, flashing a greenish light to startle predators such as sea stars and nudibranchs.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2025
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Long time viewers of 60 Minutes are understandably startled by these high level fireworks.—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
8 May 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Affright.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affright. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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