frightened 1 of 2

adjective

ˈfrī-tᵊnd How to pronounce frightened (audio)
Definition of frightenednext
as in afraid
filled with fear or dread I am frightened of the dark

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 frightened
Adjective
The bear, seemingly frightened, quickly turns away from the boy and continues running, sliding under a boat parked in the driveway. — Mason Leib, ABC News, 7 July 2026 In May, a frightened horse rammed into another carriage, causing the vehicle to flip over, injuring the driver. — Andrea Sachs The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 28 June 2026
Verb
But because the president has frightened Congress, Congress doesn’t raise its voice when the president puts his Albert Speer–like building project, or intends to, on Congress’s land. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 1 July 2026 Morocco finished level on points with Brazil in Group C and frightened Carlo Ancelotti’s side in the first half of their entertaining encounter. — Jay Harris, New York Times, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for frightened
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frightened
  1. afraid
  2. scared
  3. terrified
  4. startled
  5. horrified
  6. spooked
  7. alarmed
  8. shocked
Adjective
  • The kind who drive across town for the right crust and aren't afraid to wait for it.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 July 2026
  • Don’t be afraid to volunteer for a responsibility that scares you a little.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026
Definition of afraid
Verb
  • But coyotes—anxious, clumsy, and scared to try new things—lagged far behind their mesopredator cousins.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 July 2026
  • Running into the real Santosh again amid that backdrop, Juyal asked him if the danger scared him.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 July 2026
Definition of scared
Adjective
  • The child runs back inside the bodega seeking safety before collapsing near the front counter as terrified customers scramble for cover.
    — Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 26 July 2026
  • Appropriately terrified, Russ jumps backward, shattering the window.
    — Emma Banks, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026
Definition of terrified
Verb
  • Witness Hoon Chan Sim, 53, was sitting on a park lawn with his dog near West Drive when he was startled by the squeal of braking tires, and spun around to see the horrific collision.
    — Lincoln Anderson, New York Daily News, 25 July 2026
  • Wildlife experts say black bears are strong climbers and may scale trees, utility poles or other tall structures when startled by people, traffic or dogs.
    — Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of startled
Adjective
  • In one early scene, a horrified Pam stares into her bathroom mirror, covered head to toe in blood.
    — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 13 July 2026
  • The first police officer on the scene quickly ran back to the station for help, while neighbors calmed the horrified Lizzie.
    — Sophia Zhang, Encyclopedia Britannica, 16 June 2026
Definition of horrified
Verb
  • This after Wall Street closed lower as pressure from the big tech stocks weighed on the broader index, while a spike in oil prices and Treasury yields also spooked investors.
    — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 24 July 2026
  • The company on Wednesday reported its 12th straight quarter of double-digit revenue growth, but investors were spooked by a spike in its artificial intelligence capital spending forecast to between $195 billion and $205 billion.
    — Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of spooked
Adjective
  • Toczylowski said termination of a program that serves one of the most vulnerable immigrant populations should be viewed as an attack on children and Americans should be alarmed.
    — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026
  • Multiple layers of protection — starting with four-sided isolation fencing, alarmed doors and windows leading to pool areas, and removing toys after swim time — can help prevent these tragedies.
    — Karen Cohn, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 July 2026
Definition of alarmed
Verb
  • Consuela Ardon, co-owner of Las Palmas, her business for 19 years, said the arrest shocked her customers, many of whom are Hispanic.
    — Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026
  • Glen’s family is deeply shocked and heartbroken by this tragic loss and respectfully requests privacy at this extremely difficult time.
    — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 29 July 2026
Definition of shocked

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frightened
frightening
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Cite this Entry

“Frightened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frightened. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of frightened for Spanish Speakers

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