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.

They suggest this may represent a medieval form of "fake news," or perhaps an exaggerated story intended to frighten people with warnings of divine punishment.

From Science Daily • May 13, 2026

And the fact that Bruce Springsteen kicked off his classic 1978 album “Darkness on the Edge of Town” with a song called “Badlands” would frighten most heartland rock artists away from attempting the same.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026

But it does hint strongly at extraterrestrial visitors being revealed to humankind with a tagline: "If you found out we weren't alone, if someone showed you, proved it to you, would that frighten you?"

From BBC • Dec. 27, 2025

Johnson had hoped that running noisy appliances — the dishwasher and the laundry spin cycle — would scare the bear away, but all the noise managed to do was frighten his cat.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 4, 2025

And how dare he try to frighten her with vague warnings, when the train ride was bound to be taxing enough as it was, with three children to entertain and a speech to write, too.

From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood