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
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Recent Examples of frightened
Gina McIntyre, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
The story of Simba's journey from frightened young lion to king unfolds against the backdrop of a lush set that brings the Serengeti and its inhabitants to life.
—Domenica Bongiovanni, IndyStar, 25 Mar. 2026
Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Mar. 2026
That habit didn’t endear the Alspaws to anyone nearby, including one neighbor who threatened to shoot Brittany after the Alspaws frightened his horses.
—Tessa Stuart, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for frightened
Adjective
The easily frightened — and the recently engaged — might be advised to approach Boston’s new series, which premiered Thursday, with caution.
—Gina McIntyre, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
The story of Simba's journey from frightened young lion to king unfolds against the backdrop of a lush set that brings the Serengeti and its inhabitants to life.
—Domenica Bongiovanni, IndyStar, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
The Chinese Lunar New Year, for example, is traced to the legend of Nian, a mythical beast that feasted on villagers and livestock but was frightened by loud noises, fire, and the color red; thus, fireworks became an integral part of celebrations for scaring off the beast.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Mar. 2026
That habit didn’t endear the Alspaws to anyone nearby, including one neighbor who threatened to shoot Brittany after the Alspaws frightened his horses.
—Tessa Stuart, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for frightened
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frightened
Adjective
-
Don’t be afraid to wear your heart on your sleeve.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Is the economy struggling, with layoffs and wary investors afraid to lend?—
Alex Mayyasi,
NPR,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Scared of monsters under the bed, scared to go to school, scared of everything — that was sweet, gentle Juliet.—
Joseph Hudak,
Rolling Stone,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Bossche says the encounter with the rattler hasn't scared her off the trails for good.—
Jasmine Viel,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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This publicity brought a flood of calls from hundreds of terrified men around the country—many living in states where being gay was a crime that could land you in a psychiatric hospital or jail.—
Donna Lamb,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
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Recently, Kristen chased a terrified family with young children up a nearby stairway.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Kevin Uribe, another employee, said the sound of the collapse initially startled him.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Littrell walked up to the man, who appeared to be startled by the singer's presence.—
Lauryn Overhultz,
FOXNews.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This little bird was a horrified little lump that just kept falling over his feet.—
Emma Forgione,
Vulture,
31 Mar. 2026
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The horrified fisherman ran out to the street to hail the Mascotte police chief, who was directing traffic in front of a nearby elementary school.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The war’s financial toll has spooked the president’s economic advisers, a fear that will grow if the war is prolonged.—
Jonathan Lemire,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2026
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The unprecedented leap at Sunshine Farm in Necedah, Wisconsin, last week was precipitated by some stray dogs that rushed the enclosure and spooked the 16-month-old Chesney, said his keeper, Debbie Marland.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Last week, Narges was finally allowed a brief visit with her sister and two lawyers, who were alarmed at how rapidly her health had deteriorated.—
Cora Engelbrecht,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
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People gather under the trees during the season of hanami, or cherry blossom viewing, and the collapse of trees has alarmed officials in Tokyo, the birthplace of the cherry blossom variety.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
His team-mates were shocked too.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
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Jordan, who used to be the Hornets’ majority owner and still has a small piece of the team, volunteered that he had been shocked by Knueppel.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frightened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frightened. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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