Frightful - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Frightful means extremely frightening or shocking, causing fear or alarm. It can also describe something very unpleasant or dreadful. For example, a frightful storm or a frightful experience.
Definition:
Extremely unpleasant, shocking, or terrifying.
Synonyms:
Terrifying, horrifying, dreadful, alarming
Part of Speech:
Adjective
Antonyms:
Pleasant, delightful
Common Collocations:
Frightful noise, frightful experience, frightful sight
Derivatives:
Frightfully, frightfulness
Usage Tips:
Use "frightful" to emphasize extreme unpleasantness or fear, often in exaggerated contexts.
Common Phrases:
Frightful weather, a frightful mess, frightful tales
Etymology:
From Old English "fyrhtu" (fear) + "-ful," meaning full of fear or causing fear.
Examples:
- 1. The storm made a frightful noise last night.
- 2. She had a frightful dream about monsters under her bed.
- 3. The abandoned house looked frightful in the moonlight.
- 4. His frightful scream startled everyone in the room.