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
Objects are often askew and out of frame, and everyday sounds like a toilet flush or blinds being pulled assume a low, staticky growl, as though frights fueled by childish imagination. Gayle Sequeira, Vulture, 20 Jan. 2025 In a second Instagram Stories post, the singer offered another look at the cake, featuring a large bust of a clicker, the fungal zombie-esque frights from the Last of Us video game franchise and HBO series of the same name. Gil MacIas, People.com, 13 Jan. 2025
Verb
The perpetrators would acquire the vehicles via hire-purchase agreements, air fright them to Singapore with false papers and then ship them to Thailand. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 1 Nov. 2024 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
  • Any white bedding is a risk for spills or any other mess tracked into the bedroom by pets.
    Jacqueline Tempera, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Aug. 2025
  • The timing of the sale brings a bookend to the decade that Shari Redstone spent cleaning up the very big mess made by her father in his waning years at the helm of his Viacom empire.
    Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 10 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • During the Industrial Revolution, the electrification era and the rise of the internet, every technological leap introduced fear and, eventually, growth.
    Trushant Mehta, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
  • The study is not meant to fuel fears but to provide a clear argument for planetary defense by putting the risks of asteroid impacts into context.
    Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Most give up halfway, frightened by the warnings of those below.
    Sudhir Gupta, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
  • While the notion might frighten fans who have Thursday nights perpetually blocked off on their calendars, shorter episodes could prove beneficial in giving the Critical Role founders a little bit of a break.
    Dana Reboe, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • One user suggested the couple might have found themselves in a horror film scenario.
    Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Aug. 2025
  • But to be fair, when have studio executives ever foamed at the mouth to make an arthouse horror film set in the world of ballet, one that ends with its heroine taking her own life?
    Keaton Bell, Vogue, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Ultimately, these discussions about college don’t have to include arguments or high anxiety.
    Robert Cole, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
  • By Linda Wells Skin in the Game Leather Bound Tanning is back, and Gen Z is ignoring the risks, turning to sunbathing and tanning beds to soothe anxiety and feel in control By Erin Flaherty Read On Dietary Restrictions?
    Jeanne Malle, Air Mail, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Some, scared off by the complexity of picking a policy and by the price tags, tumble over the edge and go without insurance in a health system where the rate for an emergency room visit can be thousands, if not tens of thousands, of dollars.
    Elisabeth Rosenthal, Miami Herald, 12 Aug. 2025
  • Effectively scaring a bear also reinforces the person as dominant in an encounter, so the bear learns to avoid people.
    Staff report, Hartford Courant, 9 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • These are the hallmarks of the Alien franchise, which have remained mostly consistent across the seven movies (plus two vacuous Alien vs. Predator crossovers) that have kept those terrifying Xenomorphs coming back to our screens every decade since the original premiered in 1979.
    Judy Berman, Time, 5 Aug. 2025
  • Though some residents are not keen on seeing alligators in the wild, the animals are just as terrified of humans as humans are of them.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • As Mackey and Noem bust into the theater, the audience scrambles in panic.
    Jack Dunn, Variety, 7 Aug. 2025
  • The scream, the adults in the living room knocking over chairs and flying towards the terrace, Mr. Tiago and the boy’s father diving in with their clothes on and everything, the women standing at the pool’s edge in panic, crying.
    Hazlitt, Hazlitt, 6 Aug. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fright.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fright. Accessed 20 Aug. 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!