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.
See Examples For:
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
He’s a student of life as much as he is filmmaking, a humanist who forges connections with spectacular sights of the things that frighten and fascinate us the most.
From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2026
“They tell you to alert the bear to make sure you don’t frighten it. I called, ‘Hey bear!
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 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
He remembered her laugh, though, and how peaceful she was the first few days following the bite, so the touch of her fingertips didn’t frighten him, but it did make him sad.
From "Jazz" by Toni Morrison
![]()
I have to admit your creativity frightens me a little.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
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
"Tell us what frightens you so much," said Jojen.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
![]()
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
“I was frightened about it,” Ochoa, now 78, who was born in Los Angeles and spoke no Spanish at the time, said in an interview.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
A major incident was declared near Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, after dozens of homes were evacuated and roads closed, while residents near a blaze in south Wales said they were "frightened".
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
He described how the local community felt frightened by the tensions.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
Couldn’t she see how frightened and frustrated he was?
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
![]()
Mr. Boorman seems proud of his handiwork, which to a more skeptical eye appears turgid, silly and more campy than frightening.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
The Ebola virus has spread across Democratic Republic of Congo at a frightening speed and one of the authorities' biggest fears is that it reaches the teeming capital of Kinshasa.
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
Since hearing about the devastation caused by the blast at the Taff's Well quarry, Allen said it was "frightening".
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
Minnie Driver’s Paris adventures went awry this week when she was involved in a car accident that she’s describing as a frightening close call.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
Except she’s not nearly as frightening with her hair all done up in pretty curls.
From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston
![]()
Vocabulary lists containing frighten
Unit 1, Academic Vocabulary
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Terrify
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Terrify
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!