fright
5 synonyms for fright, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A sudden, strong feeling of fear.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
A sudden, strong feeling of fear.
“The loud bang gave her quite a fright.”
How to use fright
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
give someone a fright
jump with fright
Etymology
From Old English fyrhto, "fear, dread, trembling," related to a Proto-Germanic root for fear.
Full origin of fright →Frequently asked questions
What does “fright” mean?
The word “fright” means a sudden, strong feeling of fear. In plain terms, a sudden burst of fear, or, informally, someone whose appearance is startling.
How do you pronounce “fright”?
“Fright” is pronounced fryt (/fɹaɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “fright” in a sentence?
Here is “fright” used in a sentence: “The loud bang gave her quite a fright.”
What part of speech is “fright”?
Depending on how it is used, “fright” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “fright” come from?
The word “fright” comes from Old English. From Old English fyrhto, "fear, dread, trembling," related to a Proto-Germanic root for fear.
Is “fright” a common word?
“Fright” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “fright” have?
“Fright” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a sudden, strong feeling of fear.
