frightened

adjective

fright·​ened ˈfrī-tᵊnd How to pronounce frightened (audio)
: 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

Examples of frightened in a Sentence

I am frightened of the dark
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Growers reported a drop in workers showing up to their jobs, and advocacy groups saw a surge of frightened families show up to legal workshops on how to protect themselves against deportation. Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2025 When Julia arrived with a can of cat food, the first kitten had already been adopted, but the second—a frightened and feisty tabby—was still there. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024 For the 34th time in two years cops have been called by frightened neighbors or Hollis herself to quell the volcanic quarrels inside Peppermill Apartments unit B-312. Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 2 Jan. 2025 My friends were confused by my abrupt stop and the frightened and befuddled look on my face — except for one, whose eyes were also bulging wide. Thomas Wheatley, Axios, 31 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for frightened 

Word History

Etymology

from past participle of frighten

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of frightened was in 1591

Dictionary Entries Near frightened

Cite this Entry

“Frightened.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frightened. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.

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