frighten
verb (used with object)
to make afraid or fearful; throw into a fright; terrify; scare.
frightens
-
present tense formof frighten (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
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.
What frightens Ms. Stern most isn’t simply that the AfD might become stronger.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
What frightens Atash Heil is the uncertainty of what an AI-dominated future might look like - and the speed of the transformation graduates have witnessed during their college years.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026
What frightens scientists more than the sheer numbers are that the cuts are arbitrary and manifestly pernicious.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2026
It frightens me how painfully ironic it feels to cover a film about my industry’s demise when it was “The Devil Wears Prada” that pointed me here in the first place.
From Salon ● May 1, 2026
And even as it frightens me, I understand it.
From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth
