as in afraid
filled with fear or dread
I am frightened of the dark
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in scared
to strike with fear
around the campfire the campers tried to frighten one another with ghostly legends and grisly tales
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of frightened
CBS News,
8 June 2026
Mahayahay Elementary School, located in the province of Davao Occidental, shared footage on social media showing frightened students squatting on the ground and then scurrying away when a canopy roof collapsed during the quake.
—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
8 June 2026
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Apr. 2026
When to see a doctor Ashamalla stressed that people shouldn’t be frightened by every ache or pain.
—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for frightened
Adjective
Flavia Pupo, a manager at a hotel in Pinar del Río, told AP that the shaking rattled the building and frightened people in the area.
—
CBS News,
8 June 2026
Mahayahay Elementary School, located in the province of Davao Occidental, shared footage on social media showing frightened students squatting on the ground and then scurrying away when a canopy roof collapsed during the quake.
—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
8 June 2026
Verb
Lee Cronin was both flattered and frightened when Jason Blum suggested titling his The Mummy reimagining as Lee Cronin’s The Mummy.
—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Apr. 2026
When to see a doctor Ashamalla stressed that people shouldn’t be frightened by every ache or pain.
—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for frightened
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frightened
Adjective
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That's the part so many seem afraid to say out loud.
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The people who worked for cooperatives were particularly afraid.
Verb
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Karma came walking up on Jamon Coleman one day with pistols in hand, the only kind of moment that ever scared his son.
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The scientists only got a passing glimpse of the goblin shark before the lights and loud noise from the ROV's motor scared it away, Auscavitch told ABC News.
Adjective
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Sunday, June 21, at a home in LaGrange, and the suspect’s 2-year-old daughter was among the terrified witnesses, the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office said in court documents.
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Psilocybin, in particular, appears to be highly effective for helping people with terminal illnesses feel less terrified of dying.
Verb
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To his luck, the sound finally startled the bear and sent it running.
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Officials apparently were startled when more than 2,000 mostly young fans did just that.
Adjective
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The first police officer on the scene quickly ran back to the station for help, while neighbors calmed the horrified Lizzie.
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As a horrified Sam inadvertently observes, a creature has been sating itself on his buddy’s brain.
Verb
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There were plenty of large homes on the North Fork, and more popping up every day, but the scale of the project had spooked many locals.
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Romanch Mahajan, who was visiting New York City from India with his family, suffered fatal injuries when the horse became spooked and bolted off.
Adjective
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Scenes involving firearms alarmed distributors still grappling with the aftermath of the Columbine massacre, while the film’s October release via Newmarket was further complicated by a trailer prominently featuring an airplane crash just weeks after the September 11 attacks.
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That relationship lasted until 2016, when Mobileye dropped Tesla as a customer after being alarmed that a driver assistance system was being sold to end users as driverless technology.
Verb
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Two years ago, a Long Island deli shocked the country by selling a $120-per-pound lobster salad — and the price has only gone up since.
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The 19-year-old Shawnee Mission Northwest alum shocked the nation as an All-American as a freshman for the University of Illinois.
Cite this Entry
“Frightened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frightened. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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