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
Defense challenges claims of disruption Sabatini sought to undermine the university’s account by distinguishing between students feeling frightened and actual interruptions to academic activities. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2026 Trust is how that knowledge reaches the next child, and the next frightened mother. — Michelle A. Williams, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2026 Even the process by which animals are herded onto the trucks is often highly stressful, with frightened animals pushed, prodded, pulled, and otherwise handled roughly. — Marina Bolotnikova, Vox, 24 Oct. 2026 Discovering that your identity has been stolen can leave you feeling angry, frightened and unsure where to begin. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 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

See All Rhymes for frightened

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 1 Nov. 2026.

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