frightful

adjective

ˈfrīt-fəl How to pronounce frightful (audio)
Definition of frightfulnext
1
as in terrifying
causing fear a frightful sound emanated from somewhere deep within the forest

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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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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 frightful Their first thought was that perhaps Jeff King had killed the Wellses’ dog, a frightful notion on its own. — Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for frightful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frightful
  1. terrifying
  2. gruesome
  3. intense
  4. formidable
  5. horrific
  6. intensive
  7. frightening
  8. horrible
Adjective
  • Two Fort Worth school district students were placed on the wrong bus home this week, creating what one parent described as a terrifying situation.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The immersive doc captures the duality of an extreme lifestyle with the euphoric highs of intercepting a tornado to the terrifying lows of being overtaken by one inside their vehicle as Timmer pushes his mind and body to the limit.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of terrifying
Adjective
  • Fatima Hayward of Blue Finch Films called Zevenbergen a genuine new voice in genre filmmaking, saying his blend of body horror and campy Nickelodeon-style nostalgia has resulted in a gruesome yet heartfelt ode to cinema.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The ensuing encounter, probably the most gruesome cinematic dental scene since Marathon Man, will scare you into scheduling a deep cleaning post-haste.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of gruesome
Adjective
  • The retail offering was oversubscribed 5,500 times, underscoring intense investor demand for the profitable company, which shipped 5,500 humanoids in 2025.
    — John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • That points to the conclusion that the pain for Main Street is likely to remain intense for the foreseeable future, even as Wall Street continues to prosper.
    — Matt Peterson, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of intense
Adjective
  • Banks wrote this piece as an ensemble work, not as a showcase for his formidable instrumental prowess.
    — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
  • So does Kevin Reddington, the formidable defense attorney who is representing Clancy in her criminal trial, taking place in Plymouth, which is being live-streamed on the Internet and heavily covered on local news.
    — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of formidable
Adjective
  • Russia is slowly edging towards its territorial goal of taking the Donbas – albeit through rendering the remaining ground held by Ukraine uninhabitable through horrific drone strikes on all signs of civilian and military life.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Built in 1928 by Gordon Kaufmann, and a gift from Edward Doheny to his son Ned and his family, the stately Tudor Revival was home to a horrific tragedy.
    — Amanda Karkoutly, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of horrific
Adjective
  • And, once selected, these leaders adhere to a strict code of conduct and undergo intensive training and certification requirements, all of which prize discipline and self-regulation.
    — Emelia S. Probasco, Foreign Affairs, 20 Aug. 2026
  • They were concerned rezoning the property would set off a reaction of more intensive zoning for the corridor.
    — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of intensive
Adjective
  • The Freedom 250 Grand Prix circuit has proved to be a treacherous one, and that was highlighted in a frightening crash involving a pair of drivers early in the race.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • And because cognition is so closely tied to a person’s sense of competence and identity, those changes can be surprisingly frightening.
    — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of frightening
Adjective
  • As horrible news stories go, few could compare with what happened on a Greek holiday island Monday.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’ terrible, horrible, no good, very bad reelection campaign just got worse after Wednesday night’s debate in Sherman Oaks.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of horrible

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frightful
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Cite this Entry

“Frightful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frightful. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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