as in messes
something unpleasant to look at
people in our neighborhood think that that orange and green office building is a hideous fright
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in scares
to strike with fear
a ghastly sight that would fright even the most stouthearted soul
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of frights
Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 29 Dec. 2025
Audiences just can’t get enough of films that offer frights and scares, or even family-friendly flicks that pay homage to spooky season.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Horror anthologies are a tradition in British cinema, and this collection of bite-sized frights is the granddaddy of them all.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
Attendees will also get to enjoy the 12 pinball machines, racing games, retro games, giant centipede, air hockey, Guitar Hero, hoops, Skee Ball and so much on the night of frights.
—Avidxchange Music Factory, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2025
Not all the scares and frights and bumps in the night are imaginary on Halloween.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
Decorations, balloons, and sudden noises may mimic Halloween-style frights.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Cheesy frights rely on cartoonish CGI and spewing blood to provoke imagery that’s memorable for the wrong reasons.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2025
The haunted house will feature black lights, strobe lights, loud noises and more special effects to create the frights.
—Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Oct. 2025
Noun
Knott’s has unveiled its annual Seasons of Fun calendar that includes events dedicated to Peanuts characters, Boysenberry treats, summertime barbecues, Halloween frights and Christmas cheer.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 29 Dec. 2025
Audiences just can’t get enough of films that offer frights and scares, or even family-friendly flicks that pay homage to spooky season.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Horror anthologies are a tradition in British cinema, and this collection of bite-sized frights is the granddaddy of them all.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
Attendees will also get to enjoy the 12 pinball machines, racing games, retro games, giant centipede, air hockey, Guitar Hero, hoops, Skee Ball and so much on the night of frights.
—Avidxchange Music Factory, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2025
Not all the scares and frights and bumps in the night are imaginary on Halloween.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
Decorations, balloons, and sudden noises may mimic Halloween-style frights.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Cheesy frights rely on cartoonish CGI and spewing blood to provoke imagery that’s memorable for the wrong reasons.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2025
The haunted house will feature black lights, strobe lights, loud noises and more special effects to create the frights.
—Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frights
Noun
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Another part of me thinks that shielding him from the consequences would teach him that someone will always clean up his messes.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Geared towards lighter messes, steam cleaning your oven can take a bit of work, but the results are well worth it.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But for real chills and scares, the granddaddy The Blair Witch Project still is the crown jewel.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Is there somewhere that scares you?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Our phones bring us delights and numbing distractions, but also fresh horrors every day.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
-
But some of the daily horrors are different.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Baker says what frightens her most is whether younger generations will ever be able to step off that wheel — to build generational wealth through homeownership.—
Elizabeth Prann,
The Hill,
10 Nov. 2025
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Within my book, one of the things that frightens me most is the fact that with censorship, there’s often not a clear red line, right?—
Fiction Non Fiction
October 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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San Francisco is home to iconic sights like cable cars, Chinatown, North Beach, curvy Lombard Street, the Painted Ladies houses, the Presidio, Golden Gate Park, and nearby Alcatraz Island, as well as endless dining options for every budget and palate.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Skin care brands are setting their sights on acne, and for good reason.—
Noor Lobad,
Footwear News,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
And this absolutely terrifies me.—
Inga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Rows sit silent at Karmel Mall as the immigration crackdown terrifies customers and workers, paralyzing the economic hub for Minneapolis’s largest Somali population.—
Sarah Raza,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frights.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frights. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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