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View synonyms for frightened

frightened

[ frahyt-nd ]

adjective

  1. thrown into a fright; afraid; scared; terrified:

    a frightened child cowering in the corner.

  2. afraid; fearful (usually followed by of ):

    He has always been frightened of heights.



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Other Words From

  • frightened·ly adverb
  • un·frightened adjective
  • well-frightened adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of frightened1

First recorded in 1715–25; frighten + -ed 2

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Synonym Study

See afraid.

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Example Sentences

Exhausted and frightened, they were forced to decide how to go about saving themselves.

A female investigative journalist was severely harassed and temporarily silenced by such activity, and more recently, a female poet and novelist was frightened and shamed.

The agents sat at a table, across from Tanvir, who was frightened and spoke poor English.

It turned out to be a very big and very frightened stray dog.

Sometimes there would be a new visitor to the island, like a wayward sailor named Gulliver or a delightfully frightened ghost named Wisp, who needed my help.

From Time

I am frightened by how much of this is caused by organized retail crime.

Even as early as December 4, remarks from inside the bubble were cryptic and frightened.

Yeah, having a microphone and so many people under your control always frightened me.

Holmes seemed to expedite matters promptly, amid rumors that she was frightened of the Church of Scientology.

The people seemed not at all frightened as they trooped past to begin their day.

“I went into a great passion and frightened my mother into a fit,” said Wardle.

His silence had frightened her: what if he should resent on her the cruel words spoken by Dr. Ashton?

Though frightened to death, I refused to part with my reserve and made ready to go and take command of it at break of dawn.

He went out into the garden, and the rustling of the laurel-bushes frightened him.

The submarine scare is full on; the beastly things have frightened us more than all the Turks and all their German guns.

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tortuous

[tawr-choo-uhs ]

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