frightened

1 of 2

adjective

fright·​ened ˈfrī-tᵊnd How to pronounce frightened (audio)
Synonyms of frightenednext
: feeling fear : made to feel afraid
a badly frightened child
The farmer was hurrying out into the road, and his wife was standing at the gate, looking very frightened.—Anna Sewell

frightened

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of frighten

Synonyms of frightened

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Adjective

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Examples of frightened in a Sentence

Adjective I am frightened of the dark
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
Capital brought to standstill In Panama City, approximately 125 miles from the epicenter, the earthquake sent frightened residents rushing out of buildings and gathering in streets and open spaces. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026 Meanwhile, some of the frightened and wary passengers wondered about them and whether they could be trusted. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026 He’s supposed to be embarrassed by me, not frightened for me. — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026 Nations are sustained not just by declarations and famous generals, but by less celebrated moments when frightened, exhausted people decide not to give up. — Harry Ostrer, New York Daily News, 16 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for frightened

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from past participle of frighten

First Known Use

Adjective

1591, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of frightened was in 1591

Phrases Containing frightened

Rhymes for frightened

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Browse Nearby Words

frighten away/off
frightened
frightenedly
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Cite this Entry

“Frightened.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frightened. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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