as in terrifying
causing fear
a truly frightening movie
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in scaring
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
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Recent Examples of frightening
Rachel Blaser, The Conversation, 24 Feb. 2025
The firings of all of these federal government workers is very frightening and concerning.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2025
The key, psychologists say, is the emotional weight of those headlines’ content—especially for people who find what’s happening in the U.S. today to be genuinely frightening.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 21 Feb. 2025
Bates is frightening in her stillness, which makes Annie’s sudden bursts of violence all the more horrifying.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for frightening
Adjective
Owners also can use behavioral treatments to reward the dogs for staying calm and relaxed around things that seem frightening.
—Rachel Blaser, The Conversation, 24 Feb. 2025
The firings of all of these federal government workers is very frightening and concerning.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2025
The key, psychologists say, is the emotional weight of those headlines’ content—especially for people who find what’s happening in the U.S. today to be genuinely frightening.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 21 Feb. 2025
Bates is frightening in her stillness, which makes Annie’s sudden bursts of violence all the more horrifying.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for frightening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frightening
Adjective
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The harsh environment, mostly devoid of human presence, feels almost terrifying in its vastness—but that feeling quickly gives way to awe and excitement.—
Dobrina Zhekova,
Vogue,
4 Mar. 2025
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The terrifying incident unfolded Saturday morning, shortly after the Boeing 767 lifted off from its runway at Newark Liberty Airport.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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People can discover new ways of relating to our bodies or different ways of thinking about transness or queerness in ways that aren’t so scary or alienating for them but that feel inviting and welcoming.—
Maximilíano Durón,
ARTnews.com,
3 Mar. 2025
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Weighty — and scary — subject matter for a tween, Blair got the role of Regan with just a couple of prior credits under her belt.—
Diana Pearl,
People.com,
2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Although generally painted as having underperformed in Ukraine, Russia's air force would still be formidable.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
11 Mar. 2025
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The biggest, most formidable shark to have ever roamed the ocean may have been even larger than previously thought, according to a new study.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA TODAY,
10 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Jung-bae wound up in a room of three, with Player 001 and some rando — but Player 001 choked the stranger to death in time to reduce their head count, shocking Jung-bae more than a bit.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
26 Dec. 2024
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Fox News Digital obtained shocking audio between Cyrus and his estranged wife where the country crooner is heard berating his Australian ex and using profane language.—
Ashley Hume,
Fox News,
26 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Some compare Sanders to Geno Smith — not flattering, but not horrible.—
Troy Renck,
Orlando Sentinel,
2 Mar. 2025
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Everybody's going to be thrown, according to , into all these horrible situations.—
Hugh Cameron,
Newsweek,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Traditional networks grant access just because a device is on the network, which is a terrible idea.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
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Other adults in the room opt to avert their eyes as Jamie disrobes, but Eddie can’t turn away, out of a mix of protectiveness and horrified shock, in the same way that there’s no editor to protect the characters, the actors, or the audience from having to live in each terrible moment of the scene.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Developers have to find a balance between not making the game too intimidating for newcomers to the series, whilst still posing a challenge for players who’ve grown used to the mechanics and winning strategies for 20 years or more.—
Barry Collins,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
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Even for someone who isn’t a color enthusiast (like myself) there are subtle colors to invest into and a plethora of inspirations on how to style them in a less intimidating way.—
Libby Page,
Vogue,
25 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Frightening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frightening. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.
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