frightening

adjective

fright·​en·​ing ˈfrī-tᵊn-iŋ 

ˈfrīt-niŋ

: causing fear

frightening news

a very frightening experience

The man with red eyes made the frightening grimace that passed for his smile.

—Madeleine L'Engle

For a man who had tussled with crocs, venomous snakes and other frightening creatures, this was going to be a leisurely swim.

—Jennifer Wulff et al.

Synonyms of frightening

• terrifying
• scary
• formidable
• horrible
• terrible
• intimidating

Examples of frightening in a Sentence

a truly frightening movie

Recent Examples on the Web

Facing the future may mean confronting difficult questions and frightening scenarios. —Kat McGowan, NPR, 28 Mar. 2026

Yes, war is frightening, and images of fleeing expats and tourists are disturbing. —Faisal J. Abbas, semafor.com, 27 Mar. 2026

Beneath the surface, however, Bohm has faced obstacles and oddities, including a frightening elbow infection and a viral social media post touting his generosity that was untrue. —Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026

Republicans have pushed an unusually divisive agenda, inflation is high, gas prices are soaring, ICE raids are frightening and the president has launched a Middle East war. —Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 27 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of frighten

First Known Use

1652, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for frightening

• brightening
• heightening
• lightening
• tightening
• whitening
• enlightening