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
  • Pinnock, in particular, is at his best here, showcasing a diabolical cruelty and terrifying manipulation, elevating the story and the show to a different level.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 31 July 2026
  • Here's a selection of spectacular photos of the July Buck Moon 2026 captured alongside gorgeous natural landscapes, terrifying wildfires and stunning cityscapes from around the world.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of terrifying
Adjective
  • During the five-day preliminary hearing, prosecutors displayed gruesome crime scene images of Hernandez’s remains and produced hundreds of text messages between Burke and Hernandez that provided an in-depth look at their relationship.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
  • The previous day, multiple gruesome photos of the crime scene were exhibited on screen.
    — Nicole Acosta, PEOPLE, 28 July 2026
Definition of gruesome
Adjective
  • His plan, scheduled for a vote at the Beach commission on Wednesday after two years of often-intense debate and revision, comes in the prosaic form of a technical zoning change.
    — Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026
  • Criticism from the political left was, predictably, swift and intense.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of intense
Adjective
  • Anyone in the bout would make a formidable champion, but given Flair’s lengthy history with Ripley, that is the most high-profile unification bout WWE could possibly do down the road.
    — Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The episode reveals the formidable powers available to a president to target his enemies.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
Definition of formidable
Adjective
  • Her family members could be seen getting emotional as the detective described the horrific scene.
    — Alex Stone, ABC News, 21 July 2026
  • The end of this horrific tableau draws a distinct difference between Loustat and Loumand.
    — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of horrific
Adjective
  • The Warrior-Scholar Project is a STEM intensive founded in 2012 at Yale and has served nearly 3,000 veterans, challenging them with up to 75 hours of academic work.
    — Francesca Pinney, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026
  • The company believes those products could support several parts of the defense manufacturing chain, particularly facilities involved in shipbuilding, advanced materials production and energy-intensive industrial operations.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 July 2026
Definition of intensive
Adjective
  • His solution was to ride at a frightening pace from the outset of stages, hoping to shed his rival from his back wheel — an approach that rewarded him with king of the mountains points throughout the Tour’s final week.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 26 July 2026
  • The most frightening scenario to many officials on both sides of the border is that the United States might use Rocha’s case as a pretext to strike Mexico.
    — Kevin Sieff, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026
Definition of frightening
Adjective
  • The Badgers have had horrible injury luck, which has led to bad QB play the past few years.
    — Antonio Morales, New York Times, 27 July 2026
  • Aemond raves about his horrible older brother who spent their youth tormenting him.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
Definition of horrible

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frightens
frightful
frightfully
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Cite this Entry

“Frightful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frightful. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of frightful for Spanish Speakers

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