FRIGHTENED Synonyms: 140 Similar and Opposite Words

frightened 1 of 2

adjective

ˈfrī-tᵊnd

Definition of frightened

as in afraid

filled with fear or dread I am frightened of the dark

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frightened

2 of 2

verb

past tense of frighten

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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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 frightened

Adjective

Nations are sustained not just by declarations and famous generals, but by less celebrated moments when frightened, exhausted people decide not to give up. — Harry Ostrer, New York Daily News, 16 Sep. 2026 Also at top of mind was the film’s sound design, which is deliberately used as another tool to make the audience feel frightened and uncomfortable. — William Earl, Variety, 10 Sep. 2026

Verb

Come back to the conversation Whereas adults may be able to more quickly move on with their daily lives after feeling disturbed or frightened by upsetting media, children may experience more elevated and prolonged stress. — Anahi Collado, The Conversation, 22 Sep. 2026 Last Friday, the artist Pink published a lengthy criticism of Macklemore’s on-stage polemic, writing that his comments and use of violent wartime imagery had frightened many Jewish people, including her. — Caitlin Dewey, Vox, 16 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for frightened

Recent Examples of Synonyms for frightened

Adjective

Opt for a dark wash without rips and frays to keep the look streamlined, but don't be afraid to play with proportions and have fun with patterns and texture.

— Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 13 Oct. 2026
Measure What Customers Do After The Test Pick five to eight people who already trust you and aren’t afraid to tell you the truth.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of afraid

Adjective

Gomez, 67, recalled, watching as responding officers pulled a horrified boy from the car.

— Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026
Greg O'Neill, 63, was swimming at Sorrento Beach in the northern suburbs of Perth in Western Australia on Friday when the attack happened in front of horrified beachgoers.

— Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of horrified

Verb

Shares in the wireless carrier have dropped nearly 16% over the past month as potential competition from StarLink, a SpaceX division, spooked investors .

— Nick Wells, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026
Did traffickers hastily ditch their extremely valuable cargo, maybe after being spooked by nearby patrols?

— Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of spooked

Adjective

Sacramento City Unified School District’s multiyear projections to address its fiscal crisis relied on revenue assumptions that alarmed fiscal overseers.

— Chaewon Chung Updated October 8, Sacbee.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Annual interest expenses will be well over $6 billion, a level that has alarmed deal critics.

— Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of alarmed

Verb

Officers issued verbal orders, and one officer deployed a Taser, whose probes shocked the suspect, the spokesman said.

— Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Oct. 2026
In August 2018, the mysterious disappearance of pregnant Shanann Watts and her daughters Bella and Celeste shocked the town of Frederick, Colorado.

— K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of shocked

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frighten

frightened

frightening

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“Frightened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frightened. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of frightened

adjective

verb

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