frightening
adjective
fright·en·ing
ˈfrī-tᵊn-iŋ 
ˈfrīt-niŋ
: causing fear
frightening news
a very frightening experience
The man with red eyes made the frightening grimace that passed for his smile.—
Madeleine L'Engle
Madeleine L'EngleFor a man who had tussled with crocs, venomous snakes and other frightening creatures, this was going to be a leisurely swim.—Jennifer Wulff et al.
Jennifer Wulff et al.Examples of frightening in a Sentence
a truly frightening movie
Recent Examples on the Web
That an unelected tech billionaire has so much power over the American government is equal parts confusing and frightening.
—Caroline Mimbs Nyce, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2025
Strong’s interpretation of Roy Cohn in The Apprentice was tragicomic and frightening stuff.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2025
Funny how quickly things change in the NHL. Or frightening.
—Michael Russo, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
Its mechanical legs resemble a Star Wars stormtrooper while its humanoid design, featuring extended coil arms and over-resilient survival adaptability, is both awesome and a little frightening — mankind’s extinction made cute.
—Armond White, National Review, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for frightening
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Caroline Mimbs Nyce, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2025
Strong’s interpretation of Roy Cohn in The Apprentice was tragicomic and frightening stuff.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2025
Funny how quickly things change in the NHL. Or frightening.
—Michael Russo, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
Its mechanical legs resemble a Star Wars stormtrooper while its humanoid design, featuring extended coil arms and over-resilient survival adaptability, is both awesome and a little frightening — mankind’s extinction made cute.
—Armond White, National Review, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for frightening
Cite this Entry
“Frightening.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frightening. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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