most frightening

ADJECTIVE

scary, shocking

Synonyms

WEAK

alarming appalling atrocious awesome awful chilling daunting dire direful dismaying disquieting dread dreadful fearful fearsome formidable ghastly grabber grim grisly gruesome hair-raising hairy harrowing hideous horrendous horrible horrid horrifying inconceivable intimidating lurid macabre menacing morbid ominous petrifying portentous repellent spooky terrible terrifying traumatic unnerving unspeakable

Antonyms

WEAK

calming comforting pleasing

ADJECTIVE

fearsome

Synonyms

STRONGEST

daunting disheartening

WEAK

formidable rebarbative redoubtable

Antonyms

WEAK

comforting

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.

"It was one of the most frightening things and it was while Carmel was still alive in captivity."

From BBC • Dec. 21, 2025

Swelling of the brain, resulting in death or damage that could involve any part of it, is perhaps the most frightening thing that measles can do to your child.

From Salon • Mar. 11, 2025

"These results greatly expand the growing experimental evidence that wildlife worldwide perceive humans as the planet's most frightening predator," said Zanette, a renowned wildlife ecologist.

From Science Daily • May 22, 2024

The most frightening prospect, she says — one that she can hardly stand to contemplate — is that the Russians might have taken the body with them when they pulled back from the area.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2024

Rowan wanted to believe he’d seek justice, but he thought back to the days before he became an apprentice, when the appearance of a scythe was the most frightening thing he could imagine.

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman