Related Words
See afraid.
Other Word Forms
- frightenedly adverb
- unfrightened adjective
- well-frightened adjective
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.
She said the closure of shops was a "massive shame", adding: "They might have lost quite a lot of money from that. A lot of the staff are very frightened."
From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026
The policewoman frightened him so much with warnings of severe legal consequences that he avoided telling his daughters or bank managers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026
The easily frightened — and the recently engaged — might be advised to approach Boston’s new series, which premiered Thursday, with caution.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026
A British man jailed with his wife in Iran on espionage charges has said they feel frightened by the war and abandoned by the British government.
From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026
"Who was more frightened, do you think? We or the bats?"
From "Rowan of Rin" by Emily Rodda
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.
