Related Words
See afraid.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of frightened
Explanation
Someone who's frightened is scared or anxious. A frightened camper might tremble with fear as she listens to the scary campfire stories her counselor tells. When you're frightened, you feel fearful — you might be frightened of thunderstorms or frightened of strange dogs. A frightened airplane passenger might panic and cause other people to become frightened. The adjective comes from frighten — before the 1660s, the verb was instead fright. All of these words share an Old English root, fyrhtu, "fear, dread, trembling, or horrible sight."
Vocabulary lists containing frightened
In the Mood? 100 Words to Describe Emotions
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Yikes! Synonyms for "Scared"
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Hooked on a Feeling, List 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
So if you — like many in the financial media — are worried about private credit, you should be downright frightened by private equity.
From MarketWatch • May 22, 2026
Thucydides was the great ancient historian of the Peloponnesian War, and he argued that a rising Athens frightened Sparta and led to war.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026
Despite the headlines about the ship and its increasingly frightened passengers, cruise stocks are rallying on Wednesday due to even bigger news: reports that the U.S. and Iran are nearing a peace deal.
From Barron's • May 6, 2026
Following his arrest Bateman told police that his car had been surrounded by people and said he was "frightened" he was "going to be beaten up".
From BBC • May 1, 2026
Wolf was so frightened that he wanted to howl.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
