frighten

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

“You’d better collect a few more like that: then you can make a notice board and frighten Fiver. You might have poked the lendri’s eye out for us, if you’d only known.”

From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams

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

Desai: It looked at year end like Kevin Hassett’s star was on the rise, but none of the names discussed frightens me.

From Barron's ● Jan. 9, 2026

The thought of Ollie here with me comforts and then frightens me.

From "Girl in the Blue Coat" by Monica Hesse

In Lancaster County “Parker became almost mythical,” Ms. Aptowicz writes, “a man who couldn’t be threatened, frightened, or killed.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

"My condition got worse over several days. Being told I needed emergency surgery is something I'll never forget. I was frightened I might die," the factory worker added.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

His favorite musician is Prince, but when the book begins, he’s too frightened to buy the artist’s new album, “Lovesexy.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

Both Oscar-nominated, Davis and Sarandon play beautifully off each other, funny and loose in one moment, frightened or furious the next.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

I stepped back, so frightened I hardly remembered why I was there.

From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff

I walk down the street and I see an alarming number of people wearing weighted walking vests now, which is so frightening that it requires me to catch my breath every now and again.

From Slate ● Sep. 6, 2026

That is more frightening than stupidity, which can at least be kept out of the meeting.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026

It’s a frightening thing to take a step toward the future, going so far that you can no longer see where your journey began, yet unable to identify where it might end.

From Salon ● Aug. 28, 2026

Sue Smith: They have been using Palmer and Rogers as two number 10s in pre-season, which is frightening.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

I ran my fingers over the bow tied around the beast’s neck, over its frightening claws, its dangerous tail.

From "Willodeen" by Katherine Applegate