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
Some days are spent inside an Ebola Treatment Unit caring for patients who are frightened, isolated, and desperately ill. — Krutika Kuppalli, STAT, 26 June 2026 His last three cutter-drones raced past the frightened spawn siblings to the wall. — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 26 June 2026
Verb
But her outbursts frightened the children too. — Literary Hub, 16 June 2026 What frightened me most was what might happen to my children. — Monica Rodriguez-Aguilera, New York Daily News, 15 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
  • Prosecutors said all three women knew Lux by name and appearance, and one reported more than 50 encounters that authorities said escalated over time, eventually leaving employees afraid to work around him.
    — Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 22 July 2026
  • But defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard and LBs coach Shaun Dion Hamilton aren’t afraid to play rookies.
    — Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 22 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
  • Part of his charm here included playing the stalwart father figure to two terrified kids — someone a child could trust to stick around and keep watch all night when the dinosaurs came chomping.
    — Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 14 July 2026
  • On the 14th floor, three of them broke into Ojeda’s apartment, handcuffed him in front of his terrified wife and son, and dragged him out, according to court documents and security video.
    — Sebastian Rotella, ProPublica, 10 July 2026
Definition of terrified
Verb
  • Stone Mountain, Georgia — Jean Shifrin was hiking up a steep mountain trail on the Fourth of July when she was startled by something approaching her from behind.
    — John Blake, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
  • Exactly two years ago tomorrow, an unexpected visitor startled a homeowner in Hillsborough, New Jersey.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 15 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
  • These invectives evidently haven’t spooked Son, who once predicted that AI superintelligence would exist by 2035.
    — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 16 July 2026
  • In addition, a few post-IPO financial moves further spooked investors.
    — Peter Cohan, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of spooked
Adjective
  • The Rams were sufficiently alarmed to put the brakes on a contract extension that could have paid Nacua, 25, up to $160 million over four years.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
  • Some residents were alarmed about a potential strain on the water supply.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 July 2026
Definition of alarmed
Verb
  • In 1982, while still an England international, Keegan shocked the footballing world by trading First Division Southampton for Newcastle, who had just finished their fourth-successive campaign in the second tier.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • Yolo County jurors found Carlos Reales Dominguez guilty of involuntary manslaughter Tuesday but rejected second-degree murder charges in the stabbing deaths of two Davis men during a 2023 series of attacks that shocked the city.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of shocked

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frighten
frightened
frightening
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Cite this Entry

“Frightened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frightened. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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