1
as in terrifying
causing fear
a frightful sound emanated from somewhere deep within the forest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gruesome
extremely disturbing or repellent
I couldn't listen to the frightful details of the murder trial
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
flew into a frightful fit of rage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of frightful
Comments When the weather outside is frightful, watching TV is so delightful!
—
James Mercadante, EW.com, 30 Nov. 2024
When the weather outside is frightful, there’s nothing more delightful than walking inside a hotel that’s been decked out in holiday cheer.
—Forbes Travel Guide, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024
Considering that the weather outside isn’t exactly frightful during the winter months in SoCal, our concert calendar manages to keep our social lives plenty warm in between all the extra meals and family gatherings scheduled to descend upon us in the coming days.
—Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 24 Nov. 2024
Following these precautions can help ensure everyone has a fun night without any frightful mishaps.
—Sarah Darby, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for frightful 
James Mercadante, EW.com, 30 Nov. 2024
When the weather outside is frightful, there’s nothing more delightful than walking inside a hotel that’s been decked out in holiday cheer.
—Forbes Travel Guide, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024
Considering that the weather outside isn’t exactly frightful during the winter months in SoCal, our concert calendar manages to keep our social lives plenty warm in between all the extra meals and family gatherings scheduled to descend upon us in the coming days.
—Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 24 Nov. 2024
Following these precautions can help ensure everyone has a fun night without any frightful mishaps.
—Sarah Darby, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for frightful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frightful
Adjective
-
The delightful British voice cast includes Richard E. Grant as a slightly wild magpie and Gillian Anderson as a terrifying cat with a showstopping musical number.EW.com, EW.com, 20 Dec. 2024
-
Rose, the terrifying stage mother from Jule Styne, Stephen Sondheim, and Arthur Laurents’s musical masterpiece, might at first impression be a thousand miles away from McDonald’s palpable warmth and golden, operatic voice—other famous Roses have run over audiences like a freight train.Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
This gruesome and senseless act of violence against a vulnerable woman will be met with the most serious consequences.Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 26 Dec. 2024
-
Ellen has been suffering from demonic premonitions since childhood and believes there is a gruesome fate awaiting her betrothed.Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Media coverage of Walker’s messy private life has been intense.Oliver Kay, The Athletic, 20 Dec. 2024
-
Christmas Solo chronicles the life of two single parents who stumble into the possibility of love for Christmas, only to learn that their daughters are tangled in an intense rivalry at school.Skyler Caruso, People.com, 19 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Today many companies face the formidable challenge of balancing rapid product delivery with uncompromising quality.Wayne Yu, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
-
Following that, there’s time to catch the New Orleans Saints — likely to be without running back Alvin Kamara — at Green Bay Packers for some Love (Jordan, actually) this festive season, or there’s the struggling Anaheim Ducks at the formidable Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL.Eduardo Tansley, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
The record-breaking temperatures worsened deadly and destructive disasters around the world: Canadian wildfires forced the evacuations of tens of thousands of people, Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, and a horrific heat wave in Pakistan killed hundreds of people.Umair Irfan, Vox, 28 Dec. 2024
-
This horrific trend requires a coordinated response involving nonprofits, law enforcement, governments and industry leaders.Expert Panel®, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
The hotel uses local and regional plants for landscaping that do not rely on intensive irrigation, and of course, there is the organic garden that provides ingredients for the restaurants, which also only uses biodegradable takeout materials.Devorah Lev-Tov, Travel + Leisure, 26 Dec. 2024
-
These agencies represent just the tip of the iceberg, and DOGE should require intensive across-the-board legacy IT audits.Stuart N. Brotman, Boston Herald, 26 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Or maybe the next gen of AI swerves us even deeper into the uncanny valley in yet unknown and frightening ways.Jacqui Palumbo, CNN, 18 Dec. 2024
-
In the dark winter months, Krampus associations in villages hold parades, playfully frightening onlookers on Krampusnacht by chasing them and hitting them with sticks during a run through the streets.Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
That would be a terrible mistake, the Fienberg brothers argued in a Dec. 17 letter that addressed only Bowers’s federal death sentence.David Mark, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 22 Dec. 2024
-
Leaving wet clothes in the washing machine for too long can lead to mold and mildew, which could permanently stain your clothes—and lead to terrible smells.Heather Bien, Southern Living, 21 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near frightful
Cite this Entry
“Frightful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frightful. Accessed 5 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share