1
as in terrifying
causing fear
a frightful sound emanated from somewhere deep within the forest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gruesome
extremely disturbing or repellent
I couldn't listen to the frightful details of the murder trial
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
flew into a frightful fit of rage
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Perplexing, and on this day frightful.
—
Charles Pellegrino, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2025
Well, the weather outside might be frightful, but the vibes inside this newsletter will be a lot more cozy.
—Laura L. Davis, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Give a listen to a tale well told, get your home ready for spring, have a frightful weekend, pick up a free comic book or celebrate in character a galaxy far, far away.
—John Coffren, Baltimore Sun, 1 May 2025
What the Voice of the People is saying is: ‘Look at that frightful ass Spode swanking about in footer bags.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for frightful
Charles Pellegrino, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2025
Well, the weather outside might be frightful, but the vibes inside this newsletter will be a lot more cozy.
—Laura L. Davis, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Give a listen to a tale well told, get your home ready for spring, have a frightful weekend, pick up a free comic book or celebrate in character a galaxy far, far away.
—John Coffren, Baltimore Sun, 1 May 2025
What the Voice of the People is saying is: ‘Look at that frightful ass Spode swanking about in footer bags.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for frightful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frightful
Adjective
-
There was also the terrifying clip, captured in August 2021, showcasing when a bull moose charged at a bystander.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
-
The drop was vertiginous and terrifying, but Young sidled right up to the edge.—
Eren Orbey,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Since then, there’s been little doubt about who police believe is responsible for the 12-year-old schoolgirl’s gruesome death.—
Sean Neumann,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Cultures around the world have ancient traditions of narrating events, sometimes gruesome, through song.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Thus, current fears reinforce a pre-existing localism, and infuse it with new and intense emotions.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
18 Oct. 2025
-
After at least half a decade of acute concern about the way that platforms such as Instagram may affect young people, as well as intense debate about how best to keep kids safe online, Meta has arrived at a label that was invented in the 1980s because parents were upset by movies such as Gremlins.—
Kaitlyn Tiffany,
The Atlantic,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Starters Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Ohtani make up one of the most formidable playoff rotations in recent memory and their lineup with Ohtani at the top followed by stars like Mookie Betts, Freeman, Teoscar Hernandez and a slew of others.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Edouard Langlois, a formidable dark-bearded gentleman, was the artistic director of the local Edwin Booth Theatre.—
Robert Eggers,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The nature of his creation may be horrific, but his heart beats the same as ours.—
Billie Melissa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Others argue that an end to the fighting, and to the horrific images from Gaza that have flooded social-media feeds for two years, could allow American boosters of Israel to regain their footing.—
David M. Halbfinger,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
There is a downside to such intensive planting, though.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Tuesday was filled with intensive coaching and mentorship sessions with Walmart and Sam's Club merchants, sourcing experts and past Open Call alumni about scaling up production, improving packaging, and strengthening their financial and operational readiness.—
Serenah McKay,
Arkansas Online,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Add them to movie-night snacks, candy bowls, or trick-or-treat bags for a fun, not-too-frightening addition to your Halloween spread.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Oct. 2025
-
The sight of armed soldiers outfitted for war on city streets strikes many Americans as a frightening escalation from a President seemingly bent on punishing those who oppose him.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Midler and Hawn co-starred alongside Keaton in 1996’s The First Wives Club, with the stars portraying divorcées who wonderfully, wickedly take revenge on their terrible former spouses.—
Althea Legaspi,
Rolling Stone,
11 Oct. 2025
-
In the 1970s, when game replays of both programs aired late Saturday nights on public television in Dubuque, Iowa and Wisconsin were equally terrible, and the city was fertile ground for whichever program got off the mat.—
Scott Dochterman,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Frightful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frightful. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share