as in to scare
to strike with fear
around the campfire the campers tried to frighten one another with ghostly legends and grisly tales
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 frighten
When to see a doctor Ashamalla stressed that people shouldn’t be frightened by every ache or pain.
—
Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 6 Apr. 2026
Many of Hitchcock's movies grapple with similar themes — paranoia, voyeurism, guilt, innocence, and the dark edges of the human psyche — but all of his finest films find distinct ways to thrill, surprise, and frighten moviegoers across time and space.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Apr. 2026
Some frighten people, while others delight them.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
The marsupial escaped from Sunshine Farm in Necedah, a village about 90 miles away from Madison, on March 25, after being frightened by barking dogs, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network.
—Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for frighten
Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 6 Apr. 2026
Many of Hitchcock's movies grapple with similar themes — paranoia, voyeurism, guilt, innocence, and the dark edges of the human psyche — but all of his finest films find distinct ways to thrill, surprise, and frighten moviegoers across time and space.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Apr. 2026
Some frighten people, while others delight them.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
The marsupial escaped from Sunshine Farm in Necedah, a village about 90 miles away from Madison, on March 25, after being frightened by barking dogs, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network.
—Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for frighten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frighten
Verb
-
Eriksson Ek scare Top Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek left 29 seconds into the third period after sliding awkwardly into the boards.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
-
The lobby is where the elderly owner scares children with tales of a witch who once haunted these grounds.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Starring Kim Hye-yoon and Lee Jong-won, the film follows a road-view camera crew that encounters terrifying supernatural events at a remote reservoir.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Monitor was always meant to be experienced with a room full of people being terrified together.—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Peafowl can also disturb landscaping and startle people with their piercing screams.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The gunfire startled sleeping guests at the Citizen Hotel, which included a wedding party and fans of the rapper Tyler the Creator, who performed at a concert hours earlier.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Many other businesses considered similar moves, spooking the state's lawmakers, as Delaware, despite being a heavily Democratic state, has long been viewed as a haven for business.—
Garrett Downs,
CNBC,
1 May 2026
-
The judge got a little spooked and kicked it down to a lower court.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frighten. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
