FRIGHTS Synonyms: 73 Similar and Opposite Words

frights 1 of 2

noun

plural of fright

as in messes

something unpleasant to look at people in our neighborhood think that that orange and green office building is a hideous fright

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

visions

frights

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of fright

as in scares

to strike with fear a ghastly sight that would fright even the most stouthearted soul

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 frights

Noun

But not everyone wants to be up close and personal the with the IRL frights of a haunted house or spooky corn maze. — Ayesha Rascoe, NPR, 18 Oct. 2026 There are also family activities, fall brews to sip, and food trucks to keep you fueled for the frights. — Michelle Mastro, Midwest Living, 9 Oct. 2026 But don’t worry, all the frights and fun are still heading our way soon. — Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026 In the movie, a group of teens accidentally release a bunch of monsters from Stine’s book collection, creating complete havoc and plenty of great family-friendly frights. — Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 28 Aug. 2026 And some of the film’s most impressive frights take place in the dentist’s chair, veering into serious body-horror territory. — Tomris Laffly, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026 Dark, eerie, and paranoid (for good reason), the eight-episode season shifts back and forth from the casual grimness of an unwelcoming reality to the shocking frights of a stoner’s worst nightmare (the latter of which is shrewdly motivated by Rachel regularly smoking pot). — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 26 Mar. 2026 Many movies tried to recreate its magic mixture, including some of its own sequels, but few achieved the merry concoction of frights, gore, and giggles that Craven handled so masterfully. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Mar. 2026 But the fun, the frights, and the sense of being among fellow enthusiasts fluent in Slasher 101 and in on the jokes has been bled out of this. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 27 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for frights

Noun

Covers shield upholstery from coffee spills, food stains, pet accidents and everyday messes.

— Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Oct. 2026
Coffee spills, muddy shoes, pet mishaps, and everyday messes don’t have to turn into decorating disasters.

— Ethan Stone October 9, Idaho Statesman, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of messes

Verb

Dozens of other Halloween 2026 events in Metro Detroit are listed in the CBS News Detroit treats and scares roundup.

— Jack Springgate, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
In the most basic sense, a film in which supernatural scares arise courtesy of negative space ought to at least have thoughtful framing, but the endless series of startles arrive with the same weight and energy as the fake outs.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of scares

Noun

The country seems suspended in its aftermath, unable to separate the horrors of the past from the anxieties of the present.

— Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Oct. 2026
The proliferation of smartphones, for example, has meant people are both steeped in their day-to-day worries and fielding an endless stream of headlines about the horrors of the world.

— Gili Malinsky, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of horrors

Verb

The prospect of Sean Steur or Lewis Hall — whose contract situation Wilson refused to be drawn on, despite being asked three times — leaving is not something which frightens the hierarchy.

— Chris Waugh, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Penelope, too, is asked to occupy a landscape that frightens her, not only as a neurodivergent child in a neurotypical culture, but as a child now situated in an adult world.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of frightens

Noun

The American Culture Quiz is a weekly test of our unique national traits, trends, history and people, including the latest news, events and sights and sounds of the United States.

— Kelly McGreal , Isabella Bernabeo, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Lugo even sees his business expanding beyond Austin, with his sights set on New York City, hotspots across California and even Mexico City.

— Jennifer Liu, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of sights

Verb

Watch On In this Canadian cult classic that doubles as a coming-of-age story, a sardonic goth transforms into a werewolf in the days leading up to Halloween and terrifies her younger sister.

— David Faris, TheWeek, 22 Oct. 2026
Black Palace is set in 1888 London as an emerging tabloid media terrifies the public with lurid stories of infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper.

— Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of terrifies

Browse Nearby Words

frighting

frights

fright wig

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Frights.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frights. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of frights

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

grotesque

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes