frighten
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
First used by Ottoman military "mehter" bands to frighten and demoralise the enemy, cymbals were a useful tool for an empire on the warpath.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
Wildlife experts say human-bear conflicts are the result of people moving deeper into the wildlands, and that bears that wander into neighborhoods are often harmless and easy to frighten.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
“My concern is about the publicizing of these kinds of incidents as a tool to frighten people,” Weiser said.
From Salon ● May 14, 2026
In his speech to young people, the prime minister said he did not want to "frighten" his audience or put pressure on them.
From BBC ● Apr. 4, 2026
“I hope it doesn’t frighten you to hear what happened, Miss Lumley. As you can see, nobody got hurt.”
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
What frightens scientists more than the sheer numbers are that the cuts are arbitrary and manifestly pernicious.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2026
It frightens me how painfully ironic it feels to cover a film about my industry’s demise when it was “The Devil Wears Prada” that pointed me here in the first place.
From Salon ● May 1, 2026
I’m not here to persuade you to fly if it frightens you that much.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 9, 2026
"Touch wood, no. I've been very, very close. It's this that frightens them", he tugs his orange vest.
From BBC ● Mar. 16, 2026
Felicia is spirited and unpredictable, and this frightens me.
From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García
He was pained and frightened: He’d never seen such a thing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
“I played that like she was genuinely frightened because she was caught off-guard,” Morton says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
A place outsiders might dismiss as decadent was also where money was raised, grief was gathered and a frightened community turned nightlife into a lifeline.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
"Parents have been left in tears. Children have been left frightened, confused and heartbroken."
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
The new sled flew like a frightened bird.
From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell
It inherently asks us to consume these people and needs us to in order to make money, but sometimes consumers want to unhinge their jaws and eat these stars whole, a frightening and unsettling behavior.
From Slate ● Aug. 5, 2026
Despite the frightening image of spiders presented in movies such as Arachnophobia, most species pose no danger to people.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026
COVID-19 created the conditions in which conspiracy theories flourish: enormous uncertainty, frightening consequences, rapidly changing information and distrust of institutions.
From Salon ● Aug. 2, 2026
The furious mum said the situation got "frightening" and her son had a "tug-of-war" with the youths to get his bike back.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
What can I tell her now that doesn’t sound too sad and frightening?
From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar
Vocabulary lists containing frighten
Unit 1, Academic Vocabulary
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Terrify
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Terrify
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
