fright
fryt
Fright (noun) means a sudden, strong feeling of fear. Example: “The loud bang gave her quite a fright.”
noun
1
A sudden, strong feeling of fear.
"The loud bang gave her quite a fright."
"He nearly jumped out of his skin with fright."
2
Informal: someone or something that looks alarming or ridiculous.
"With her hair sticking up, she looked an absolute fright."
verb
1
To frighten; to cause fear in someone.
"The thunder frighted the horses."
How to use fright
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA sudden burst of fear, or, informally, someone whose appearance is startling.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
give someone a fright
jump with fright
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like fright.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- frights
- Third person singular
- frights
- Past tense
- frighted
- Comparative
- more fright
- Superlative
- most fright
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The loud bang gave her quite a _____.
Etymology
From Old English fyrhto, "fear, dread, trembling," related to a Proto-Germanic root for fear.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for fright
See all rhymes for 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.
