1
as in terrifying
causing fear
a frightful sound emanated from somewhere deep within the forest
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gruesome
extremely disturbing or repellent
I couldn't listen to the frightful details of the murder trial
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3
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
flew into a frightful fit of rage
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of frightful
Shot and released ahead of Halloween, the actress and singer stayed on theme, wearing mostly black and keeping her selections to the frightful, dystopian, and surreal.
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Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 3 Nov. 2024
Navigating The Treacherous Workplace The workplace is full of frightful challenges.
—Jack Kelly, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
When did parents first become frightful of what is in their kids' Halloween candy?
—Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 28 Oct. 2024
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Nailed It
The weather outside is frightful, but your nails are so delightful.
—Bella Cacciatore, Glamour, 23 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for frightful 
Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 3 Nov. 2024
Navigating The Treacherous Workplace The workplace is full of frightful challenges.
—Jack Kelly, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
When did parents first become frightful of what is in their kids' Halloween candy?
—Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 28 Oct. 2024
Style Beauty Entertainment Shopping Wellness Culture Gifts Video Women of the Year
Nailed It
The weather outside is frightful, but your nails are so delightful.
—Bella Cacciatore, Glamour, 23 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for frightful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frightful
Adjective
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Learn more › While the roar of the mighty Tyrannosaurs rex in the Jurassic Park film franchise is pretty terrifying, it was actually created by Hollywood special effects wizards using the sounds of a baby elephant.Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 22 Nov. 2024
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In this show, the most terrifying threat is not any singular person or group, but rather, the monsters inside us.Andrés Buenahora, Variety, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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But the indictment returned by a Georgia grand jury in May detailed a gruesome confrontation in which Ibarra allegedly asphyxiated the student, hit her over the head with a rock to the point of disfiguring her skull, and pulled up her clothing, intending to rape her.Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 20 Nov. 2024
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The gruesome case garnered significant media attention after her remains were discovered, leading then-President Trump to invite Guillén's family and television crews to the White House to offer his condolences.Kyler Alvord, People.com, 23 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Scorpio signs are best known to be intense and passionate, but also one of the more misunderstood signs.Athena Sobhan, People.com, 23 Nov. 2024
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Extended hours of daylight can increase sun exposure—even if the sun doesn’t feel intense.David Nikel, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Fellow seniors Kyle Ashman, Noah Clarke and Jordan Ross form a formidable group of fourth-year players who have driven the Mustangs’ run over the last two seasons.Taylor Lyons, Baltimore Sun, 29 Nov. 2024
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Angela Lansbury played the formidable Lady Adelaide Stitch, the family’s great-aunt.Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 29 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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But when Harvey goes missing, Batman is forced to descend into the city’s labyrinthian underground, uncovering a horrific conspiracy by a secret society that has ruled Gotham for ages, one that has ties to his parents’ tragic murder.Todd Spangler, Variety, 19 Nov. 2024
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Iran possessing nukes represents an existential threat to Israel’s security in a way that terror groups—despite their horrific actions—simply never did.Carrie A. Lee, Foreign Affairs, 19 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Amelia needed cooling and intensive medical care for the next 72 hours, but the Grosse Pointe hospital where she was born doesn't have a neonatal intensive care unit.Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, 20 Nov. 2024
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Research shows that intensive animal agriculture has been implicated in influenza viruses jumping from animals to people, and some believe this bird flu could even become the source of our next pandemic.Seema Policepatil, The Mercury News, 19 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The French Lutin fae can turn malicious if insulted, ruining crops and frightening animals.Erik Kain, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
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Sanders has avoided a serious injury after a frightening incident during last night's game against the Kansas City Chiefs.Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The offense was terrible once again in a big game, and the defense allowed lots of points once again in a big game.Steve Svekis, Sun Sentinel, 29 Nov. 2024
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For cedar fever sufferers, that means itchy eyes, runny noses, scratchy throats and generally feeling terrible for weeks.Nicole Villalpando, Austin American-Statesman, 27 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near frightful
Cite this Entry
“Frightful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frightful. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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