fright 1 of 2

fright

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word fright distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of fright are alarm, dread, fear, panic, terror, and trepidation. While all these words mean "painful agitation in the presence or anticipation of danger," fright implies the shock of sudden, startling fear.

fright at being awakened suddenly

When is it sensible to use alarm instead of fright?

In some situations, the words alarm and fright are roughly equivalent. However, alarm suggests a sudden and intense awareness of immediate danger.

view the situation with alarm

In what contexts can dread take the place of fright?

The words dread and fright can be used in similar contexts, but dread usually adds the idea of intense reluctance to face or meet a person or situation and suggests aversion as well as anxiety.

faced the meeting with dread

When can fear be used instead of fright?

The synonyms fear and fright are sometimes interchangeable, but fear is the most general term and implies anxiety and usually loss of courage.

fear of the unknown

When could panic be used to replace fright?

The meanings of panic and fright largely overlap; however, panic implies unreasoning and overmastering fear causing hysterical activity.

the news caused widespread panic

When is terror a more appropriate choice than fright?

Although the words terror and fright have much in common, terror implies the most extreme degree of fear.

immobilized with terror

How are the words trepidation and dread related as synonyms of fright?

Trepidation adds to dread the implications of timidity, trembling, and hesitation.

raised the subject with trepidation

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of fright
Noun
Legoland California’s family-friendly Halloween party returns for another not-too-spooky season of not-so-scary frights filled with character meet-and-greets, live shows, ride overlays, seasonal food and plenty of trick-or-treating candy stations spread throughout the park. Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025 Now, a grown-up Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) faces new and familiar frights after her equally goth daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega), opens a portal to the Netherworld and reawakens everyone's favorite pinstriped ghost. Emy Lacroix, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
For anyone into sheer terror with a side of entertainment, streaming services like Shudder can fright and delight. Jennifer Jolly, USA TODAY, 22 Dec. 2022 See All Example Sentences for fright
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fright
Noun
  • But most important, its vacuum design is quiet, easy to use, and eliminates mess.
    Christine Persaud, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
  • La Liz was an opulent mess her whole life.
    Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The fear was that Jayden Daniels would be limited, that the brace on his left knee — or the knee itself — would hinder his running or his elusiveness, eliminate his quick cuts or somehow slow him down.
    Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Colangelo added that, in these depictions, the fear of transness is more present than the fear of being killed.
    Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • If the intent was to frighten the population, the move succeeded.
    Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Within my book, one of the things that frightens me most is the fact that with censorship, there’s often not a clear red line, right?
    Fiction Non Fiction October 2, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • What the American people really deserve is not mass resignations or brief, fake shutdowns that stir up political chaos in Washington, DC, while Americans across the country watch in horror or turn a blind eye in disgust.
    Nicole Russell, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Over the course of nine films that span more than 50 years, not once does horror film icon Leatherface take sensible chainsaw safety precautions.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Other benefits of acupuncture were pain intensity reduction, an improvement of physical functions, and fewer anxiety symptoms.
    Ashley J. DiMella, FOXNews.com, 4 Oct. 2025
  • The stress among the friend group about their costume theme is giving me more anxiety than a haunted hayride.
    Melissa Willets, Parents, 4 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Nice to know there’s stuff that scares him.
    Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Oct. 2025
  • There’s something about kidnapping that scares the fear out of you, Goldberg-Polin says.
    Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Sharabi, who is terrified of being held in a tunnel, is being moved to one.
    Eli Sharabi, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Aldo had spent his time in the States terrified that he would be deported back to Cuba and jailed.
    Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The result, ideally, is the quarterback can trust wherever the ball is going, rather than panic if the first option is covered.
    Seth Emerson, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • The scene is nonetheless a nod to the nuance that lies beyond the urgent, all-consuming panic of the unfolding crisis, and a queasy echo of the many such encounters that don’t end so amicably.
    Alison Herman, Variety, 7 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fright.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fright. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on fright

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!