frightened
FRYTND
Frightened (adj) means feeling fear; scared. Example: “The frightened child hid behind her mother.”
adj
1
Feeling fear; scared.
"The frightened child hid behind her mother."
"He was too frightened to speak."
"The frightened puppy shook during the thunderstorm and refused to leave its bed."
How to use frightened
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDescribes someone who is scared.
Common pairings
frightened of
a frightened look
feel frightened
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more frightened
- Superlative
- most frightened
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ child hid behind her mother.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for frightened
opened
saddened
awakened
unopened
hardened
darkened
softened
sickened
weakened
burdened
loosened
flattened
See all rhymes for frightened →
Frequently asked questions
What does “frightened” mean?
The word “frightened” means feeling fear; scared. In plain terms, describes someone who is scared.
How do you pronounce “frightened”?
“Frightened” is pronounced FRYTND (/ˈfɹaɪtn̩d/ in IPA).
How do you use “frightened” in a sentence?
Here is “frightened” used in a sentence: “The frightened child hid behind her mother.”
What part of speech is “frightened”?
“Frightened” is an adjective.
Is “frightened” a common word?
“Frightened” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
What is the difference between frightened and scared?
Frightened and scared both describe feeling fear, and they are largely interchangeable in everyday speech. Frightened can sound slightly more formal or literary, while scared is more casual and common in spoken conversation.
What preposition follows frightened?
Frightened is typically followed by "of" for a general fear (frightened of spiders) or "by" for a specific triggering event (frightened by the loud noise). "Frightened that" can also introduce a clause expressing a worry, as in "frightened that she would be late."
Is frightened the same as frightening?
No. Frightened describes how a person feels (a frightened child), while frightening describes something that causes that feeling (a frightening storm). This is the standard pattern for -ed/-ing adjective pairs in English.
