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
Relevance
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
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 frights
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 26 Mar. 2026
Many movies tried to recreate its magic mixture, including some of its own sequels, but few achieved the merry concoction of frights, gore, and giggles that Craven handled so masterfully.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Mar. 2026
But the fun, the frights, and the sense of being among fellow enthusiasts fluent in Slasher 101 and in on the jokes has been bled out of this.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 27 Feb. 2026
There are no giant frights or dynamic action sequences, and the slow pacing makes the film feel at times punishingly long.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 16 Feb. 2026
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
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
Noun
Dark, eerie, and paranoid (for good reason), the eight-episode season shifts back and forth from the casual grimness of an unwelcoming reality to the shocking frights of a stoner’s worst nightmare (the latter of which is shrewdly motivated by Rachel regularly smoking pot).
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 26 Mar. 2026
Many movies tried to recreate its magic mixture, including some of its own sequels, but few achieved the merry concoction of frights, gore, and giggles that Craven handled so masterfully.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Mar. 2026
But the fun, the frights, and the sense of being among fellow enthusiasts fluent in Slasher 101 and in on the jokes has been bled out of this.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 27 Feb. 2026
There are no giant frights or dynamic action sequences, and the slow pacing makes the film feel at times punishingly long.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 16 Feb. 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frights
Noun
-
With their gentle adhesive and easy-to-use design, lint rollers can tackle a surprising range of small household messes.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Beyond monitoring, this sleek unit prioritizes a clean home environment with an automatic waste-packing system that instantly seals away messes and odors.—
Rachel Cortez,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Amid the positives, what scares you the most right now about the industry?—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Apr. 2026
-
That distinction, between desensitization and normalization, is crucial to how Goldhaber and Mazzei approach scares in the digital age.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Arthur is living for the likes, his suburban house of horrors happening to bear similarities to the anonymous McMansions preferred by so many influencers.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The Broadway power couple first met while surviving the horrors of the underworld in Hadestown before traveling to Weimar Republic Germany in Cabaret.—
Carey Purcell,
Vogue,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The piercing sunlight frightens her.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Like the 1987 Kurt Vonnegut novel from which the restaurant took its name, Bluebeard encourages guests to drop their guard, surround themselves with other people and try something that frightens them a little.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
While more than a quarter-million miles from Earth, the astronauts aboard Orion whizzed by the moon, cruising no closer than about 4,000 miles above the surface while seeing sights of the far side that no one had ever laid eyes upon in person.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2026
-
How long has Lorne Michaels been in your sights as a documentary subject?—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Frankly, the thought of being beaten by the subscribers terrifies me.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Aubry Bracco is the kind of player who terrifies a certain (male) demographic of Survivor alumni.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frights.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frights. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
