1
as in terrifying
causing fear
a frightful sound emanated from somewhere deep within the forest
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gruesome
extremely disturbing or repellent
I couldn't listen to the frightful details of the murder trial
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
flew into a frightful fit of rage
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of frightful
On the front, there might be frightful faces, either side of the belly.
—
Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
John Tufts The weather outside is about to get frightful as a potentially dangerous winter storm crawls its way across the country.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 23 Jan. 2026
Each envelope containing the clue was inside a box filled with some frightful creature — rats, snakes, a tarantula, millipedes, and cockroaches.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Jan. 2026
Jon Murray When the weather outside is frightful, the reading is so delightful.
—The Denver Post, Denver Post, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for frightful
Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
John Tufts The weather outside is about to get frightful as a potentially dangerous winter storm crawls its way across the country.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 23 Jan. 2026
Each envelope containing the clue was inside a box filled with some frightful creature — rats, snakes, a tarantula, millipedes, and cockroaches.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Jan. 2026
Jon Murray When the weather outside is frightful, the reading is so delightful.
—The Denver Post, Denver Post, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for frightful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frightful
Adjective
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And Kyle Busch himself won his first Cup championship in 2015 after suffering a broken right leg and a broken left ankle in a terrifying crash at Daytona.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 May 2026
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Robertson plays a beautiful rising but troubled Hollywood starlet who accepts what appears to be the perfect secluded retreat, only to uncover a terrifying web of secrets connected to the property’s mysterious caretaker and the haunting legacy hidden deep within its walls.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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With Chubb and Phillips still on the mend from gruesome injuries the year prior, the then-rookie was thought to be the heir apparent.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2026
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The case has been widely reported by China’s heavily state censored media for the gruesome details of how Xu plotted the murder.—
Sylvie Zhuang,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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Russia had vowed more intense attacks and warned foreign diplomats to abandon Kyiv.—
Elmira Aliieva,
NBC news,
3 June 2026
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That funding faced intense scrutiny from a handful of Republicans, prompting senators to abandon it.—
Kaia Hubbard,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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The Cuban military, once a formidable expeditionary force during Cold War campaigns in Africa, now struggles with chronic fuel shortages, aging equipment, limited mobility and poor readiness, Pérez said.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2026
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The elder Jackson, one of Chicago’s most famous civil rights icons, died in February and left his formidable organization to his son Yusef.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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Not just their physical injuries, horrific in themselves.—
Susan Rona,
Time,
1 June 2026
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Accompanying the violence, both the Naxals and the security forces – including local militia raised to combat the rebels – have been accused of horrific human rights abuses, including abductions, torture and rape.—
Dhruv Tikekar,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Adjective
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For Paul, dragging long sheets of metal was intensive.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
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Distillation is a process in which a small, less resource-intensive model learns to mimic a large, expensive one.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Boroughs is not a frightening show, monster snack-time portrayals notwithstanding.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
31 May 2026
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The father of two and community activist said the encounters can range from embarrassing and annoying to downright frightening.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
30 May 2026
Adjective
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His slugging percentage is horrible.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 May 2026
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Some of it had to do with horrible tragedy, some because hopefuls could not see the math working out for them.—
Deputy Managing Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frightful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frightful. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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