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
causing fear
a truly frightening movie
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in scaring
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
Asia London Palomba, The Spruce, 7 Apr. 2026
When to see a doctor Ashamalla stressed that people shouldn’t be frightened by every ache or pain.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 6 Apr. 2026
Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 4 May 2026
Dash camera video showed the frightening moment when a wheel from a United Airlines plane slammed into a bakery delivery truck that was traveling on the New Jersey Turnpike.
—Clara McMichael, ABC News, 4 May 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
There’s no surefire way to frighten bees and other stinger pollinators from your home, but there are ways to make your living space less attractive to them.
—Asia London Palomba, The Spruce, 7 Apr. 2026
When to see a doctor Ashamalla stressed that people shouldn’t be frightened by every ache or pain.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Late on against Newcastle, Rutter beat two players on the left with a frightening burst of pace and set up Minteh, only for the 21-year-old to blast over an empty net.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 4 May 2026
Dash camera video showed the frightening moment when a wheel from a United Airlines plane slammed into a bakery delivery truck that was traveling on the New Jersey Turnpike.
—Clara McMichael, ABC News, 4 May 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
Adjective
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For most people, the idea of ceding control to a robot is out there at best; downright terrifying at worst.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
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One of those terrifying moments happened on a public stairwell.—
Lexi Lane,
PEOPLE,
9 May 2026
Adjective
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Similar to human drivers, Zoox's AI and safety systems aren't infallible, but the test ride vehicle didn't exhibit any odd behaviors that seemed problematic or scary for occupants.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
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Taking a driverless robotaxi to the airport still feels a bit scary for many people.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
Adjective
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Last month, despite Orbán’s formidable, long-standing attempts to rig the legal and electoral systems in his favor, Magyar won, in a stunning upset.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
-
Stockton, who formed a formidable tandem with fellow Jazz superstar Karl Malone, is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
That is a really horrible thing.—
David Chiu,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
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The Virginia Supreme Court has just struck down the Democrats’ horrible gerrymander.—
Justin Papp,
CNBC,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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Now, nearly two years later, the school finds itself in a terrible spot, as accusations of serious misconduct arise and an investigation by the athletic department heats up.—
Trey Wallace OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
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And, betting on terrible outcomes doesn't signify what the better actually wants to happen.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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You might be asked to step up, own up to a mistake or take the lead in a way that feels more intimidating than usual.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
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While no medical procedure is fun, exactly, some can feel more intimidating than others.—
Holly Burns,
Time,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frighten. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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