1
as in terrifying
causing fear
a frightful sound emanated from somewhere deep within the forest
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gruesome
extremely disturbing or repellent
I couldn't listen to the frightful details of the murder trial
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
flew into a frightful fit of rage
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of frightful
Brian Tesler, chief medical director of Women's Health at McLaren Health Care, noted that while the weather outside is frightful, the results can be delightful in the end.
—
CBS News, 26 Jan. 2026
John Tufts The weather outside is about to get frightful as a potentially dangerous winter storm crawls its way across the country.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 23 Jan. 2026
Each envelope containing the clue was inside a box filled with some frightful creature — rats, snakes, a tarantula, millipedes, and cockroaches.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Jan. 2026
Jon Murray When the weather outside is frightful, the reading is so delightful.
—The Denver Post, Denver Post, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for frightful
CBS News, 26 Jan. 2026
John Tufts The weather outside is about to get frightful as a potentially dangerous winter storm crawls its way across the country.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 23 Jan. 2026
Each envelope containing the clue was inside a box filled with some frightful creature — rats, snakes, a tarantula, millipedes, and cockroaches.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Jan. 2026
Jon Murray When the weather outside is frightful, the reading is so delightful.
—The Denver Post, Denver Post, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for frightful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frightful
Adjective
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What was John thinking before the surface of the water appeared before his windshield, rushing forward at terrifying speed?—
Jeffrey Eugenides,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026
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As The Boys presents a terrifying dystopia under Homelander (Antony Starr) in the fifth and final season, Eric Kripke recently noted that any narrative similarities to our current dystopia are purely coincidental.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Getting cleared of a gruesome crime has boosted his social cache in his upper-class neighborhood of Westmont Village, a fictional New York suburb.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
3 Apr. 2026
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And in another gruesome moment, there is a frightening shot of dozens of wedding guests covered in blood, with bodies strewn across a banquet hall.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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For the seventh year in a row, Walmart captured more money from Charlotte-area shoppers than any other grocery store, despite intense competition from local grocers like Harris Teeter and Food Lion.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Apr. 2026
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Graves’ exit has sparked intense speculation about his potential successor to represent Missouri’s 6th Congressional District, which stretches across northern Missouri and touches Kansas City’s Northland.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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This double-digit growth positions the $98-per-year service as a formidable challenger to Amazon Prime, leaning heavily on delivery speed and new streaming partnerships.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
2 Apr. 2026
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Its missile force is formidable.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The horrific shooting has rocked the Plainville community, with its reverberations being felt throughout the state.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
30 Mar. 2026
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A lot of his struggles stemmed from the Raiders’ horrific offensive line.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Xcel Energy is proposing a new rate class for data centers that the company says is intended to ensure that the energy-intensive facilities pay their way instead of passing along the costs to residential and small-business customers.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
3 Apr. 2026
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In the tech industry, AI models promise to make coding far easier and less labor intensive.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The idea of frightening children into basic courtesy scares Miss Manners.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Mar. 2026
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Facing the future may mean confronting difficult questions and frightening scenarios.—
Kat McGowan,
NPR,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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This is going to be a horrible, terrible, no-good, very bad day.—
Nathan Rott,
NPR,
27 Mar. 2026
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In another case, a 10-year-old girl contracted horrible lesions on 10 percent of her body — mostly on her legs — after contact with giant hogweed.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frightful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frightful. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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