frightening 1 of 2

adjective

ˈfrī-tᵊn-iŋ How to pronounce frightening (audio)
Definition of frighteningnext
as in terrifying
causing fear a truly frightening movie

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

frightening

2 of 2

verb

present participle of frighten
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

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 frightening
Adjective
The Freedom 250 Grand Prix circuit has proved to be a treacherous one, and that was highlighted in a frightening crash involving a pair of drivers early in the race. — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2026 Belief and skepticism clash, but lingering beneath the argument is something strange and frightening — and that something is getting closer. — Denise Petski, Deadline, 19 Aug. 2026
Verb
Clumsiness notwithstanding, bringing a criminal case against a journalist who was reporting on a protest is an authoritarian tactic—a means of frightening the press away from uncovering the truth. — Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026 But monks there complained that the slain king was walking around at night, frightening them with strange sounds. — Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for frightening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frightening
  1. terrifying
  2. scaring
  3. scary
  4. startling
  5. formidable
  6. shocking
  7. horrible
  8. terrible
Adjective
  • Equally jubilant and terrifying, his size brings both John and Jim Ross to this mythic quality.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 28 Aug. 2026
  • He is described as a terrifying figure but also one who is learned and devoted to Shiva.
    — Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of terrifying
Verb
  • Few griz/hunter interactions ever move beyond the scaring stage.
    — Ron Spomer, Outdoor Life, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Be a menace to people in the community, driving his boat 70 to 80 miles per hour, driving around scaring the heck out of people, taking people's lives.
    — Lauren Victory, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of scaring
Adjective
  • The scariest part is how little of this chemical can cause such severe damage.
    — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 31 Aug. 2026
  • These changes can sound scary, but preparation and knowledge are key to keeping your hair healthy.
    — Sarah Madaus, InStyle, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of scary
Verb
  • The unpredictable motion scares them off, startling them and throwing them off balance.
    — Molly Burford, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Last week, an F/A-18 Super Hornet from the Blue Angels, the Navy’s flight-demonstration team, zoomed dangerously low along the Florida coast, stirring up sand and umbrellas, startling some beachgoers—and, it must be said, delighting many others.
    — Missy Ryan, The Atlantic, 22 July 2026
Definition of startling
Adjective
  • Greenspan was renowned for his formidable data-crunching capabilities, sharp reading of market psychology, and subtle, often elusive communication style.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Their armory is formidable; their cash supply, a source of comic relief.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of formidable
Verb
  • In 1988, 27-year-old Japanese American graphic artist Karen Toshima was killed by a stray bullet during a gang confrontation on Broxton Avenue, shocking Angelenos who had treated gun violence as a problem largely confined to poor parts of the city.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 28 Aug. 2026
  • On Monday June 29, a bomb exploded on the doorstep of Yermolaiev’s luxury apartment in Monaco, gravely injuring the Ukrainian millionaire and shocking residents of the wealthy city state.
    — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of shocking
Adjective
  • Anne Hathaway is a leftist, woke, horrible choice for DAYS OF THUNDER NASCAR audience who are MAGA.
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026
  • These two rubber bands in our throat are affected by everything from hormones to psychology to a bad day to a horrible night’s sleep to the sniffles or whatever.
    — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of horrible
Adjective
  • But even without it, there seems to be some truth to the idea that if these teams were terrible businesses, they wouldn’t be sold for billions of dollars.
    — Evan Drellich, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Not by tightening the siege on Iran directly, but by tightening the siege on those who help this regime, this terrible dictatorship.
    — Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of terrible

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Cite this Entry

“Frightening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frightening. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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