Synonym Usage
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.
It was easier to avoid the water than to confront something that had frightened me since childhood.
From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026
Hilton’s sister, Barbara Giarraffa, frightened fans and TikTok moderators were among those who called authorities.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
“I was frightened and frenzied, which is what con artists use to get our hard-earned cash.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
"When she needed support, reassurance and fair treatment, she was left frightened, isolated and convinced her career and reputation had been destroyed," they added.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
For all the bravery I had felt in the presence of Frederick and Bruno, the miller still frightened me.
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
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.
