as in afraid
filled with fear or dread
I am frightened of the dark
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in scared
to strike with fear
around the campfire the campers tried to frighten one another with ghostly legends and grisly tales
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 frightened
Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
Business owners in Little Village, which is 81% Hispanic, said customers are too frightened to walk the streets of Chicago’s second busiest commercial corridor.
—Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
Big Think, 14 Oct. 2025
Surveys have shown that lawsuit ads have frightened people away from taking prescribed medications for serious conditions ranging from diabetes to depression.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for frightened
Adjective
Sitting with the frightened pup, Hawkins tried to offer water from a bottle cap, but the animal wasn’t interested.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
Business owners in Little Village, which is 81% Hispanic, said customers are too frightened to walk the streets of Chicago’s second busiest commercial corridor.
—Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
Each one rests on a foundation of great ideas that can wrap around your mind like a tentacle and force you to really think about what has frightened you.
—Big Think, 14 Oct. 2025
Surveys have shown that lawsuit ads have frightened people away from taking prescribed medications for serious conditions ranging from diabetes to depression.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for frightened
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frightened
Adjective
-
After long mornings at my father’s bedside, my mother and I arrived at Confiserie Sprüngli weary and afraid.—
Aleksandra Crapanzano,
The Atlantic,
27 Oct. 2025
-
And while Parker wasn’t afraid of no ghosts, what about Huey Lewis’ lawyers?—
Joe Lynch,
Billboard,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Few books have scared me as much.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
22 Oct. 2025
-
And don’t be ashamed to straight-up ask if the route is appropriate for someone who has never rock climbed or is scared of climbing a ladder.—
Jen Murphy,
Outside,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Not every traveler wants to feel terrified on vacation, so this round-up of eight spooky places around the globe ranges from the perfectly harmless to the downright creepy.—
Sophie Friedman,
AFAR Media,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Instead of bounding in with excitement, the golden retriever looks terrified.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Whether a pup bolts after a squirrel, slips its collar, or runs off after being startled, those first few minutes can feel endless.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Who jumped, startled, when Rey laughed nervously.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Like Porcile, a horrified warning.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
-
When Trowbridge announces that Rayburn was the architect of the HMS Courageous attack and doesn’t say a word about Roylin, everyone is rocked back on their heels in horrified surprise, except for Dennison.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Dumb and Dumber, but left in the middle of the night after getting spooked.—
Sophie Friedman,
AFAR Media,
22 Oct. 2025
-
See the video here — but don’t blame me if you get spooked!—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Still, Lebanon has reason to be especially alarmed.—
Ari Daniel,
NPR,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Experts the Times spoke to seemed more alarmed.—
Matthew Sedacca,
Curbed,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Steelers were shocked by Joe Flacco’s Bengals last week.—
Jeff Howe,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
The original movie shocked audiences, and its low-budget aesthetic helped make the madness look even more grisly, macabre and real.—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Frightened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frightened. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share