frightened

1 of 2

adjective

fright·​ened ˈfrī-tᵊnd How to pronounce frightened (audio)
Synonyms of frightenednext
: feeling fear : made to feel afraid
a badly frightened child
The farmer was hurrying out into the road, and his wife was standing at the gate, looking very frightened.—Anna Sewell

frightened

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of frighten

Synonyms of frightened

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Adjective

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Examples of frightened in a Sentence

Adjective I am frightened of the dark
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
Michael was still frightened and disoriented by what had taken place over spring break. — Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 Roosevelt offered frightened and dispirited Americans a vision of a secure future. — John T. Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026 In the second test, 12 dogs were shown happy faces, as well as sad, frightened, and angry ones. — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 28 Aug. 2026 Hilton’s sister, Barbara Giarraffa, frightened fans and TikTok moderators were among those who called authorities. — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for frightened

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from past participle of frighten

First Known Use

Adjective

1591, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of frightened was in 1591

Phrases Containing frightened

Rhymes for frightened

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Browse Nearby Words

frighten away/off
frightened
frightenedly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Frightened.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frightened. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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