as in to scare
to strike with fear
around the campfire the campers tried to frighten one another with ghostly legends and grisly tales
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in terrifying
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
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Recent Examples of frighten
P.r. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 24 Apr. 2026
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
Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026
But monks there complained that the slain king was walking around at night, frightening them with strange sounds.
—Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for frighten
Verb
Several critics said the legislation introduces too many unknowns, adding that with the artificial intelligence legislation also under consideration, Connecticut is moving towards regulations that could frighten companies looking to grow in the state.
—P.r. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 24 Apr. 2026
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
Verb
Clumsiness notwithstanding, bringing a criminal case against a journalist who was reporting on a protest is an authoritarian tactic—a means of frightening the press away from uncovering the truth.
—Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026
But monks there complained that the slain king was walking around at night, frightening them with strange sounds.
—Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for frighten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frighten
Verb
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Stop using implausible scenarios to scare young people and the gullible with claims about global catastrophe due to future global temperature increases.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
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Sizable jury verdicts scare entities into expensive settlements, which raises the risk pool’s reinsurance costs and trickles down to members.—
Daniel Lempres,
Sacbee.com,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Grand Canyon The Grand Canyon is breathtaking and also terrifying with a 4-year-old along.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
17 May 2026
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Facing the endless Cylon onslaught in the void of space is terrifying even in 2D battles, but many of Scattered Hopes' gut punches happen during unexpected narrative events or tough choices that doom entire ship populations.—
Ian Stokes,
Space.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
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It was made that much worse when several cast members laughed at her insincerity and Maddi Reese interrupted it several times because there was a stray cat nearby that terrified her.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
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Because quarterbacks were terrified to throw anywhere near him.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
Verb
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New luxury tax thresholds were introduced, imposing punitive roster-building restrictions on big spenders, scaring teams away from keeping their championship cores intact.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
7 June 2026
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Sunday Riley Good Genes All-in-One Lactic Acid Treatment My medium skin tone is prone to dark spots, but the Sunday Riley Good Genes elixir combats scaring.—
Ruby McAuliffe,
InStyle,
4 June 2026
Verb
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The scale of what is emerging in China’s northwestern desert has left even seasoned analysts startled.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
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The spray of water should startle any squirrels, deer, or other wildlife trying to sneak fruit from your tree.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Some cyclists sped by pretty quickly, startling us and our dog.—
Maura Fox,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
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Hauge called that startling, given that court filing fees alone cost just as much.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
4 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Persistent high interest rates also present a challenge since electrification benefits play out over time and high interest rates can spook companies concerned about short-term returns (or even survival).—
Justin Worland,
Time,
29 May 2026
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And importantly, the SPV marketplace allows for company insiders—including their billionaire founders—to cash out secretly without spooking the market.—
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Verb
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Doherty departed the show in 1994, shocking viewers who felt Brenda was a staple of the show's drama.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
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The Today show host came prepared with a beer in his suit jacket pocket, shocking his cohosts.—
Marina Watts,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frighten. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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