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
Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 25 June 2025
Winston Churchill said the U-boat peril was the only thing that really frightened him during World War II.
—Carl Burdette, Baltimore Sun, 22 June 2025
Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
Moreover, if their environment is unpredictable, frightening, or volatile, some children learn that any disagreement could lead to danger and try to bury their feelings to avoid conflict and maintain a sense of peace.
—Lauryn Higgins, Parents, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for frighten
Verb
The woman inside banged pots and pans and screamed at the bear to try to frighten it away, officials said.
—Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 25 June 2025
Winston Churchill said the U-boat peril was the only thing that really frightened him during World War II.
—Carl Burdette, Baltimore Sun, 22 June 2025
Adjective
Misleading Trust: Data reveals a frightening pattern: studies suggest AI use may reduce critical thinking skills, particularly among younger, more frequent users.
—Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
Moreover, if their environment is unpredictable, frightening, or volatile, some children learn that any disagreement could lead to danger and try to bury their feelings to avoid conflict and maintain a sense of peace.
—Lauryn Higgins, Parents, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for frighten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frighten
Adjective
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For Bertram, whose family winery has roots deep in the terraced vineyards of the valley, the night was a blur of frantic decisions and terrifying uncertainty.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
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But this is still grand blockbuster filmmaking: The scene where bombs explode across Gotham is as memorable and terrifying as anything in the series.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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The filmmakers used the sounds of babies crying to make a scary noise In the film, the bad people go to a bad afterlife, and they’re taken there by creepy, inky shadow things.—
Drew Mackie,
People.com,
13 July 2025
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Some of it was pretty scary, but Lu was very supportive and helpful, and so was his producer, Matt.—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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The Cubs were always going to be a far more formidable opponent than the Nationals and Rockies, against whom the Red Sox collected the first six of their 10-game win streak before the All-Star break.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
20 July 2025
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Meanwhile, the men will be going up against the English juggernaut — a formidable opponent even if some of their star players are currently touring with the British and Irish Lions.—
Vitas Carosella,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
Adjective
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Too Much follows Megan Stalter as Jessica, a producer who's just been broken up with by her horrible ex-boyfriend.—
Rebecca Aizin,
People.com,
11 July 2025
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For many who were directly affected by the flood, these post-flood days have been like waking up from a horrible nightmare.—
Bea L. Hines,
Miami Herald,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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There will be four questions related to easing the city’s terrible housing shortage, all useful and needed, and one useless question about moving our local elections from odd years, like this present year, to presidential contest years.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
21 July 2025
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But when terrible news arrives about her ex, all eyes turn to Ana — whose reputation isn't exactly sterling.—
Lizz Schumer,
People.com,
21 July 2025
Adjective
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While the ingredients were simmering, Innis shared that the key to making dinner less overwhelming and intimidating for working people is having your ingredients and materials prepared ahead of time.—
Dominique Fluker,
Essence,
6 July 2025
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By limiting the commitment to just five minutes, the task feels more manageable and less intimidating.—
Dr. Faye Begeti,
CNBC,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Frighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frighten. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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