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fright

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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
Decorations, balloons, and sudden noises may mimic Halloween-style frights. Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025 Cheesy frights rely on cartoonish CGI and spewing blood to provoke imagery that’s memorable for the wrong reasons. Ben Travers, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 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
  • And its cemeteries had grown into an overcrowded mess.
    Chris Kenning, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Parchment paper is a great tool for mess-free baking.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The result came after Milei’s party suffered a landslide defeat to the Peronist opposition in a September local vote in the Buenos Aires province, an outcome that sparked a selloff of the peso amid investor fears over the president’s standing with voters.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Harrison expressed deep fears that the White House could take an ax to CPB and public media more broadly.
    David Folkenflik, NPR, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • When the Maitlands' attempts to frighten the Deetzes away fail miserably, Barbara and Adam turn to the mysterious and mischievous Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) to rid them of the living.
    Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Around 100 pairs were found abandoned on the roof, perhaps due to the thieves being frightened away, Sheriff John Budensiek said at the news conference.
    Mark Price, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • As for West, the director made a name for himself in the horror genre with his A24 trilogy that started with X in 2022, followed that same year by Pearl and wrapping with last year’s MaXXXine.
    Justin Kroll, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2025
  • One part satire, one part apocalyptic horror, the film was doubtless an inspiration to later outré directors like David Lynch, Jim Jarmusch, and Harmony Korine.
    Erik Morse, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • That driving tension and anxiety are largely thanks to the team of artisans, which included composer Volker Bertelmann, editor Kirk Baxter and sound designer Paul Ottosson, who worked closely behind the scenes on their respective crafts to bring it together.
    Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 25 Oct. 2025
  • That sense of anxiety is present throughout the book, most vividly in a wide shot of a group of cheerleaders rehearsing in a gym.
    Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The former instantly adds a second layer of security against unwanted guests, and the latter emits an ultra-loud alarm while acting like a door stop wedge, scaring off any stranger who tries to enter your room.
    Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Actors dressed as sadistic guards and disturbed prisoners, jump-scaring visitors from the prison cells.
    Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 26 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • While film critics typically lead with the physical transformation that Sweeney pulled off, equally impressive is her ability to delve into the psyche of a woman who was fearless in the ring but rightfully terrified of the man closest to her.
    Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 27 Oct. 2025
  • And a chance encounter with ICE in August landed Barojas Solano in detention for six weeks, upending his legal process and leaving them terrified that he could be detained again.
    Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 26 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The panic began when a pilot reportedly heard knocking on the cockpit door and was unable to contact his crew.
    Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
  • None of the panic, none of the prophetism.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fright.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fright. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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