frightened

adjective

fright·​ened ˈfrī-tᵊnd How to pronounce frightened (audio)
: feeling fear : made to feel afraid
a badly frightened child
The farmer was hurrying out into the road, and his wife was standing at the gate, looking very frightened.Anna Sewell

Examples of frightened in a Sentence

I am frightened of the dark
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Audience noises at the NRG Stadium in Houston went from frightened gasps to applause as the descent was completed. Greg Evans, Deadline, 29 June 2025 Things were hectic in the mall, Stain, 45, said, with lots of frightened people running to the exits. Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 June 2025 The painting includes portraits of two children, one with wide-open, frightened eyes and the other with eyes closed, somberly sipping on a bottle of Coca-Cola. Hung Duong, Artforum, 18 June 2025 Without a deal, Iran’s frightened government seems more likely than not to sprint for nuclear weapons as conditions allow. Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 16 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for frightened

Word History

Etymology

from past participle of frighten

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of frightened was in 1591

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Frightened.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frightened. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

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