frightening

adjective

fright·​en·​ing ˈfrī-tᵊn-iŋ 

ˈfrīt-niŋ

: causing fear

frightening news

a very frightening experience

The man with red eyes made the frightening grimace that passed for his smile.

—Madeleine L'Engle

For a man who had tussled with crocs, venomous snakes and other frightening creatures, this was going to be a leisurely swim.

—Jennifer Wulff et al.

Synonyms

• alarming
• dire
• direful
• dread
• dreadful
• fearful
• fearsome
• forbidding
• formidable
• frightful
• ghastly
• hair-raising
• horrendous
• horrible
• horrifying
• intimidating
• redoubtable
• scary
• shocking
• spine-chilling
• terrible
• terrifying

Examples of frightening in a Sentence

a truly frightening movie

Recent Examples on the Web

What ensues is an incredibly artful dance between frightening violence and slapstick humor that reveals both Ani’s inner steel and Igor’s integrity—two strong hooks into the film as a whole. —Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 4 Feb. 2025

For someone living in that position, life can be frightening and overwhelming. —Bahíyyah Maroon, Orlando Sentinel, 1 Feb. 2025

The frightening Xenomorphs, for instance, were brought to life with methods from animatronics and puppets to the use of fully digital characters. —Carolyn Giardina, Variety, 31 Jan. 2025

Olympian Gabby Thomas is turning to fans for advice on a frightening situation. —Natasha Dye, People.com, 30 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of frighten

First Known Use

1652, in the meaning defined above