fright

American  

[frahyt] / fraɪt /

noun

1. sudden and extreme fear; a sudden terror.

   Synonyms:

   alarm , consternation , dismay

2. a person or thing of shocking, grotesque, or ridiculous appearance.

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verb (used with object)

1. to frighten.

fright British  

/ fraɪt /

noun

1. sudden intense fear or alarm

2. a sudden alarming shock

3. informal  a horrifying, grotesque, or ludicrous person or thing

   she looks a fright in that hat

4. to become frightened

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verb

1. a poetic word for frighten

Related Words

See terror.

Other Word Forms

• self-frighted adjective
• unfrighted adjective

Etymology

Origin of fright

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English frytu, fyrhto; akin to German Furcht

Example Sentences

“Where to?” he asks, before peering into his rear-view mirror and jumping in fright as he sees that his passengers are a mangled animatronic bear and a little girl.

From Los Angeles Times

Daniel was about to get the fright of his life.

From BBC

“It gave us all a fright,” Barbera said, adding that doctors have said his mother’s situation remains dire.

From Seattle Times

"There is sufficient evidence to support a reasonable inference that these passengers experienced pre-impact fright and terror, and that experience is part of the 'process or manner of death,'" U.S.

From Reuters

“Things like stage fright, and nervousness about my body not cooperating, that I had never experienced before were there, and kind of dulled the performing experience for me.”

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• consternation
• dismay
• horror
• panic
• trepidation