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

"Until yesterday, I never thought there would be something that would frighten me of going back to Liverpool after the break. Team-mates come and go but not like this," Salah posted last summer.

From BBC ● May 23, 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

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

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

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

A sniff of a rotting old chair frightens Indy so much, he wets the rug.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2025

But it’s the look in his eyes—angry yet unfocused—that frightens me the most.

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins

Meanwhile AI researcher Jacob Coxon - who quit Anthropic - told the BBC on Sunday staff who were developing the systems were "genuinely frightened" for the future of humanity.

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026

That is precisely why the NFL, and not the frightened kid, should be the one to move first.

From Salon ● Sep. 9, 2026

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

Jeremy felt both relieved and frightened when his fingers finally closed on a quarter.

From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville

That makes it seem so tame, but it’s so, so frightening.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

So the frightening headlines about declining bond prices leave out the opportunities for income-seeking investors.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026

The ‘Resident Evil’ director uses his own anxieties to make horror movies more than just frightening.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

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

Matthias stooped, speaking gently for fear of frightening the infant.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques