: feeling fear : made to feel afraid
The farmer was hurrying out into the road, and his wife was standing at the gate, looking very frightened.—
Anna Sewell
Synonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web
Late one night, her wayward daughter, Claire (Sweeney), arrives at her doorstep, frightened, trembling, and covered in someone else’s blood(!).
—Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 8 Mar. 2023
Asked to describe their feelings, the top answers were: anger, frightened, concerned and hopeful.
—Michael Brice-saddler, Washington Post, 21 Jan. 2023
Families with a loved one going through a mental health crisis can feel overwhelmed, frightened, and helpless.
—Jennifer Brookland, Detroit Free Press, 7 Oct. 2022
But frightened students already had made alarming telephone calls to their parents, who descended en masse on the school where 29 school district officers and 58 city police officers were on hand.
—CBS News, 21 Sep. 2022
But frightened students already had made alarming telephone calls to their parents, who descended en masse on the school where 29 school district officers and 58 city police officers were on hand.
—Chron, 20 Sep. 2022
Immediately, Spears locked his classroom door and blockaded the room with a bookshelf before taking cover with frightened students.
—Alaa Elassar, CNN, 17 Sep. 2022
In the revival, a close-up of Jud’s face appears on a projection screen at the end of the song, and the figures onstage become tiny silhouettes against the backdrop of his frightened eyes.
—Jennie Rothenberg Gritz, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Mar. 2023
The unpredictable is scary for children, and a predictable routine is especially reassuring when children are frightened or unsure.
—Amy Joyce, Anchorage Daily News, 28 Mar. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘frightened.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
from past participle of frighten
First Known Use
1591, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of frightened was
in 1591
Dictionary Entries Near frightened
Cite this Entry
“Frightened.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frightened. Accessed 13 Apr. 2023.
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Last Updated:
11 Apr 2023
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
Other forms: frightenedly
Someone who’s frightened is scared or anxious. A frightened camper might tremble with fear as she listens to the scary campfire stories her counselor tells.
When you’re frightened, you feel fearful — you might be frightened of thunderstorms or frightened of strange dogs. A frightened airplane passenger might panic and cause other people to become frightened. The adjective comes from frighten — before the 1660s, the verb was instead fright. All of these words share an Old English root, fyrhtu, «fear, dread, trembling, or horrible sight.»
Definitions of frightened
-
“the
frightened child cowered in the corner”-
synonyms:
scared
-
afraid
filled with fear or apprehension
-
afraid
-
adjective
thrown into a state of intense fear or desperation
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Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Idioms, Wikipedia.
fright·en
(frīt′n)
v. fright·ened, fright·en·ing, fright·ens
v.tr.
1. To fill with fear; alarm.
2. To drive or force by arousing fear: The suspect was frightened into confessing.
v.intr.
To become afraid: told ghost stories to campers who frightened easily.
fright′en·er n.
fright′en·ing·ly adv.
Synonyms: frighten, scare, alarm, terrify, terrorize, startle, panic
These verbs mean to cause a person to experience fear. Frighten and the more informal scare are the most widely applicable: «The Count’s mysterious warning frightened me at the time» (Bram Stoker).We scared each other telling ghost stories before bed.
Alarm implies a state of fearful anxiety, often brought on suddenly: The sight of the approaching shark alarmed the swimmers.
Terrify implies overwhelming, often paralyzing fear: «It is the coming of death that terrifies me» (Oscar Wilde).
To terrorize is to strike fear into another, often for purposes of coercion: «The decent citizen was terrorized into paying public blackmail» (Arthur Conan Doyle).
Startle suggests a momentary fright that may cause a sudden, involuntary movement of the body: The clap of thunder startled us.
Panic implies sudden frantic fear that often impairs self-control and rationality: The realistic radio drama panicked the listeners who tuned in after it had begun.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
afraid
– frightened
1. ‘afraid’ and ‘frightened’
If you are afraid or frightened, you feel fear because you think something bad will happen.
The children were so afraid that they ran away.
She felt frightened.
You can also say that you are afraid of someone or something, or frightened of them.
Tom is afraid of the dark.
They are frightened of their father.
If you don’t want to do something because you think it might be harmful or dangerous, you can say that you are afraid to do it or frightened to do it.
Many crime victims are afraid to go to the police.
She was frightened to go out on her own.
Be Careful!
Afraid is used only after linking verbs such as be and feel. Don’t use it in front of a noun. For example, don’t talk about ‘an afraid child‘. However, you can talk about ‘a frightened child’.
He was acting like a frightened kid.
2. another meaning of ‘afraid’
If you are worried about something, you can say that you are afraid of doing something wrong, or afraid that something will happen. You don’t usually use ‘frightened’ in this way.
She was afraid that I might be embarrassed.
She was afraid of being late for school.
3. ‘I’m afraid…’
If you have to tell someone something and you think it might upset or annoy them, you can politely say ‘I’m afraid…‘, ‘I’m afraid so‘, or ‘I’m afraid not‘. ‘I’m afraid so‘ means ‘yes’. ‘I’m afraid not‘ means ‘no’, and both of these expressions are used as responses to questions.
‘I’m afraid Sue isn’t at her desk at the moment. Can I take a message?’
‘I hear she’s leaving. Is that right?’ – ‘I’m afraid so.’
‘Can you come round this evening?’ – ‘I’m afraid not.’
frighten
– frightened
1. ‘frighten’
If something frightens you, it makes you feel afraid.
Rats and mice don’t frighten me.
Frighten is almost always a transitive verb. Don’t say that someone ‘frightens’. If you want to say that someone is afraid because of something that has happened or that might happen, you say that they are frightened.
Miriam was too frightened to tell her family what had happened.
He told the children not to be frightened.
For more information, see afraid — frightened
2. ‘frightening’
Don’t confuse frightened with frightening. Something that is frightening causes you to feel fear.
It was a very frightening experience.
It is frightening to think what damage could be done.
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
| Adj. | 1. | frightened — made afraid; «the frightened child cowered in the corner»; «too shocked and scared to move»
afraid — filled with fear or apprehension; «afraid even to turn his head»; «suddenly looked afraid»; «afraid for his life»; «afraid of snakes»; «afraid to ask questions» |
| 2. | frightened — thrown into a state of intense fear or desperation; «became panicky as the snow deepened»; «felt panicked before each exam»; «trying to keep back the panic-stricken crowd»; «the terrified horse bolted»
afraid — filled with fear or apprehension; «afraid even to turn his head»; «suddenly looked afraid»; «afraid for his life»; «afraid of snakes»; «afraid to ask questions» |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
frightened
adjective afraid, alarmed, scared, terrified, shocked, frozen, cowed, startled, dismayed, unnerved, petrified, flustered, panicky, terrorized, in a panic, scared stiff, in a cold sweat, abashed, scared shitless (taboo slang), terror-stricken, shit-scared (taboo slang), affrighted (archaic), in fear and trepidation, numb with fear She was too frightened to tell them what happened.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
vystrašenýpolekaný
bangeforskrækketskræmt
pelästynyt
prestrašen
hræddur
おびえた
겁먹은
vystrašený
prestrašen
skrämd
รู้สึกตกใจ
sợ hãi
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
frightened
adj person, animal → ängstlich, verängstigt; voice, eyes, look → ängstlich, angsterfüllt; to be frightened (of somebody/something) → (vor jdm/etw) Angst haben; are you frightened of the dark? → hast du Angst vor der Dunkelheit?; don’t be frightened → hab keine Angst; they were frightened (that) there would be another earthquake → sie hatten Angst (davor), dass es noch ein Erdbeben geben könnte; to be frightened to do something → Angst (davor) haben, etw zu tun; I was too frightened to look → ich hatte zu viel Angst or war zu verängstigt, um hinzusehen; to be frightened about or of doing something → Angst davor haben, etw zu tun; to be frightened to death or out of one’s wits → zu Tode erschrocken sein; to be frightened to death that… → Todesängste ausstehen, dass …; to be frightened to death of somebody/something → eine Todesangst vor jdm/etw haben; like a frightened rabbit → wie ein verängstigtes Kaninchen
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
frightened
[ˈfraɪtnd] adj to be frightened (of) → avere paura (di)
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
fright
(frait) noun
1. a sudden fear. the noise gave me a terrible fright.
2. a person who looks ridiculous. She looks a fright in those clothes.
stage frightstageˈfrighten verb
to make (someone) afraid. She was frightened by a large dog.
ˈfrightened adjectiveˈfrightful adjective
1. terrible or frightening. I had a frightful experience.
2. very bad. He is a frightful liar.
ˈfrightening adjectiveˈfrightfully adverb
very. He’s frightfully clever.
take fright
to become frightened usually suddenly and quickly. She took fright and ran away.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
frightened
→ مَرْعُوب vystrašený skræmt verängstigt τρομαγμένος asustado pelästynyt effrayé prestrašen impaurito おびえた 겁먹은 bang skremt przestraszony assustado напуганный skrämd รู้สึกตกใจ korkmuş sợ hãi 受惊的
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
frightened
a. asustado-a, atemorizado-a.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
Смотреть что такое «frightened» в других словарях:
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frightened — frightened; un·frightened; … English syllables
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frightened — index leery, recreant Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
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frightened — [adj] very scared abashed, affrighted, afraid, aghast, alarmed, anxious, butterflies*, chicken*, chicken hearted*, cowed*, dismayed, fearful, frozen, have cold feet*, having kittens*, hung up*, in a cold sweat*, in a panic*, in a sweat*,… … New thesaurus
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frightened — [frīt′ nd] adj. filled with fright; terrified SYN. AFRAID … English World dictionary
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frightened */ — UK [ˈfraɪt(ə)nd] / US adjective Collocations: Frightened describes how you feel: I am frightened of spiders. ♦ She looked very frightened. Frightening describes things or situations that make you feel frightened: The look on his face was… … English dictionary
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frightened — fright|ened S2 [ˈfraıtnd] adj feeling afraid = ↑scared ▪ Don t be frightened. We re not going to hurt you. frightened of ▪ I was frightened of being left by myself in the house. ▪ Her father had an awful temper and she was always frightened of… … Dictionary of contemporary English
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frightened — adj. VERBS ▪ be, feel, look, seem, sound ▪ become, get ▪ I got frightened when he lost his temper … Collocations dictionary
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frightened — fright|ened [ fraıtnd ] adjective * feeling or showing fear, especially suddenly: SCARED: The puppy looked cold and frightened. Bruckner was watching him with wide, frightened eyes. frightened to do something: Now he is frightened to go out at… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
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frightened*/ — [ˈfraɪt(ə)nd] adj feeling or showing fear Syn: scared The puppy looked cold and frightened.[/ex] Bruckner was watching him with wide, frightened eyes.[/ex] There s nothing to be frightened about.[/ex] I ve always been frightened of snakes.[/ex] I … Dictionary for writing and speaking English
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frightened — adj. frightened about, at, of (frightened at the very thought) * * * [ fraɪtnd] at of (frightened at the very thought) frightened about … Combinatory dictionary
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frightened — [[t]fra͟ɪt(ə)nd[/t]] ADJ GRADED: oft v link ADJ of n/ ing, ADJ to inf If you are frightened, you are anxious or afraid, often because of something that has just happened or that you think may happen. She was frightened of flying… Miriam was too … English dictionary
- Dictionary
- F
- Frightened
Transcription
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
-
- [frahyt-nd]
- /ˈfraɪt nd/
- /ˈfraɪtnd/
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [frahyt-nd]
- /ˈfraɪt nd/
Definitions of frightened word
- adjective frightened thrown into a fright; afraid; scared; terrified: a frightened child cowering in the corner. 1
- adjective frightened afraid; fearful (usually followed by of): He has always been frightened of heights. 1
- verb with object frightened to make afraid or fearful; throw into a fright; terrify; scare. 1
- verb with object frightened to drive (usually followed by away, off, etc.) by scaring: to frighten away pigeons from the roof. 1
- verb without object frightened to become frightened: a timid child who frightens easily. 1
- noun frightened Afraid or anxious. 1
Information block about the term
Origin of frightened
First appearance:
before 1715
One of the 49% newest English words
First recorded in 1715-25; frighten + -ed2
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Frightened
frightened popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 73% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
This word is included in each student’s vocabulary. Most likely there is at least one movie with this word in the title.
Synonyms for frightened
adj frightened
- afraid — If you are afraid of someone or afraid to do something, you are frightened because you think that something very unpleasant is going to happen to you.
- fearful — causing or apt to cause fear; frightening: a fearful apparition.
- anxious — If you are anxious to do something or anxious that something should happen, you very much want to do it or very much want it to happen.
- startled — to disturb or agitate suddenly as by surprise or alarm.
- panicky — a sudden overwhelming fear, with or without cause, that produces hysterical or irrational behavior, and that often spreads quickly through a group of persons or animals.
adjective frightened
- scared — to fill, especially suddenly, with fear or terror; frighten; alarm.
- upset — to overturn: to upset a pitcher of milk.
- worried — having or characterized by worry; concerned; anxious: Their worried parents called the police.
Antonyms for frightened
adj frightened
- brave — Someone who is brave is willing to do things which are dangerous, and does not show fear in difficult or dangerous situations.
- courageous — Someone who is courageous shows courage.
- unafraid — feeling fear; filled with apprehension: afraid to go.
- bold — Bold lines or designs are drawn in a clear, strong way.
- cool — Something that is cool has a temperature which is low but not very low.
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See also
- All definitions of frightened
- Synonyms for frightened
- Antonyms for frightened
- Related words to frightened
- Sentences with the word frightened
- Words that rhyme with frightened
- frightened pronunciation
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