1
as in terrifying
causing fear
a frightful sound emanated from somewhere deep within the forest
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gruesome
extremely disturbing or repellent
I couldn't listen to the frightful details of the murder trial
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
flew into a frightful fit of rage
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of frightful
When the weather outside is frightful, head to these delightful family resorts with fun indoor activities originally appeared on FamilyVacationist.com.
—
Beth Luberecki, USA TODAY, 21 Dec. 2024
The weather outside is frightful, but her look is so delightful.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 19 Dec. 2024
The weather outside is frightful but the vibe with friends and family is so delightful, with seasonal cheer and excitement starting on December 21 and running to January 19.
—Lisa Stardust, refinery29.com, 19 Dec. 2024
The weather outside really isn’t so frightful, with some flakes that melt on your windshield in metro Detroit until the afternoon, then a light dusting, up to two inches Thursday night into Friday morning.
—Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 18 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for frightful
Beth Luberecki, USA TODAY, 21 Dec. 2024
The weather outside is frightful, but her look is so delightful.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 19 Dec. 2024
The weather outside is frightful but the vibe with friends and family is so delightful, with seasonal cheer and excitement starting on December 21 and running to January 19.
—Lisa Stardust, refinery29.com, 19 Dec. 2024
The weather outside really isn’t so frightful, with some flakes that melt on your windshield in metro Detroit until the afternoon, then a light dusting, up to two inches Thursday night into Friday morning.
—Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 18 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for frightful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frightful
Adjective
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Back in August, Renner spoke about how his terrifying snowplow accident in January 2023 led to his daughter becoming a little more independent.—
Hannah Sacks,
People.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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The terrifying predicament happened Sunday, March 23, in a wooded area off Interstate 10 in LaPlace, the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office said in a March 26 news release.—
Mark Price,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Thoughtful, but gruesome is an apt descriptor for the film as well.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
5 Apr. 2025
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This was true of Fury (2015) as well, his brutal and gruesome war drama featuring Brad Pitt as a tank commander in the final days of World War II leading a platoon of hardened, traumatized, broken soldiers.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The missions became more intense as Japan's outlook grew more dire and the military showcased the sacrifice of the pilots to drum up patriotism and support for the war.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2025
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Her message prompted an intense, impassioned reaction.—
Armon Sadler,
VIBE.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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In the great-power competition with the United States’ adversaries, none is more formidable than the Chinese Communist Party.—
Arthur Herman,
National Review,
3 Apr. 2025
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Tyler Glasnow is formidable on the mound when healthy.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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With that horrific risk in mind, the crew hatches a new plan.—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
9 Apr. 2025
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Viscerally horrific, conceptually mindblowing, achingly humane.—
Ollie Barder,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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This alarming probability briefly landed the asteroid atop impact risk lists maintained by NASA and the European Space Agency, triggering planetary defense discussions and prompting intensive follow-up observations to refine the object's trajectory.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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If the proposal gets legislative approval in Healey’s roughly $62 billion budget request, the Bay State would lose its only intensive residential treatment program for children between the ages of 6 and 12 who are suffering from suicidal and/or homicidal ideations or other complex needs.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
29 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Good news California began trying to police ghost guns after those frightening findings came out, enacting legislation in both 2022 and 2023 to curtail their unregulated sales.—
Anita Chabria,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2025
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But the bloodshed that unfolded March 6-10 in Latakia and Tartous represents a frightening escalation.—
Chris Massaro,
Fox News,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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This is great news for our model but terrible for upsets.—
Jordan Brenner,
New York Times,
4 Apr. 2025
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The domestic box office is presently in a terrible state, and Minecraft could prove to be the shot of confidence Hollywood studios and cinema owners need after recent films, including Disney’s Snow White, have turned into major disappointments.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Frightful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frightful. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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