frighten

verb

fright·​en ˈfrī-tᵊn How to pronounce frighten (audio)
frightened; frightening ˈfrī-tᵊn-iŋ How to pronounce frighten (audio)
ˈfrīt-niŋ

transitive verb

1
: to make afraid : terrify
The movie scene frightened the child.
2
: to drive or force by frightening
frightened the boy into confessing

intransitive verb

: to become frightened
She doesn't frighten easily.
frighteningly
ˈfrī-tᵊn-iŋ-lē How to pronounce frighten (audio)
ˈfrīt-niŋ-lē
adverb

Examples of frighten in a Sentence

The story really frightened me. The child was badly frightened by the mask.
Recent Examples on the Web In response, all were called upon to make noise in an effort to frighten them away. Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2024 Never run or make any loud noises or sudden movements, as this could startle these creatures, which are typically nonaggressive until frightened. Madeline Nguyen, The Arizona Republic, 22 Mar. 2024 Twenty-four years of lawsuits and untold billions of dollars later, major mold myths continue to frighten residents and cause exaggerated repairs and unnecessary conflict. Kelly G. Richardson, Orange County Register, 22 Mar. 2024 But nothing could move Ahmed; there was a fury in him that frightened her. Anand Gopal, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 True crime podcasts typically aim to solve a mystery by finding an ending, by uncovering new evidence or pointing a finger at the likely killer, like a campfire story meant to thrill and frighten. Krista Stevens, Longreads, 31 Jan. 2024 For now, violence around key roadways has frightened most civilians off the streets, paralyzing public transportation in and out of the capital. Michael Wilner, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2024 The agents turned on their lights briefly, which frightened the thief. Mary Zahn and Bill Janz, Journal Sentinel, 17 Jan. 2024 Apparently frightened paramedics putting the pedal to the metal are no match for a ticked-off, flying high ursine with blood on its mind. Randee Dawn, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'frighten.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1630, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of frighten was in 1630

Dictionary Entries Near frighten

Cite this Entry

“Frighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frighten. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

frighten

verb
fright·​en ˈfrīt-ᵊn How to pronounce frighten (audio)
frightened; frightening ˈfrīt-niŋ How to pronounce frighten (audio)
-ᵊn-iŋ
1
: to make afraid : terrify
2
: to drive away or out by frightening
3
: to become frightened
frighteningly
-niŋ-lē How to pronounce frighten (audio)
-ᵊn-iŋ-
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on frighten

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