as in to scare
to strike with fear
around the campfire the campers tried to frighten one another with ghostly legends and grisly tales
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Recent Examples of frighten
Others rely on odor, such as predator urine, that frightens them away from the area or a bad smell from rotten eggs that simply discourages them.
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Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Nov. 2024
These are behaviors by a spouse, partner or loved one that are meant to control, isolate or frighten.
—R. Eric Thomas, The Denver Post, 16 Nov. 2024
The best way to counter those who would frighten their fellow citizens from the polls is to fight back — by recording, photographing and reporting attempts at harassment and by refusing to engage with people who try to accost voters.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, Orlando Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2024
While another golden retriever, Banks, went viral when his owner shared a fairly long list of the things that frighten him, including tarps, frogs, boxes, Halloween decorations and even feather dusters.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for frighten 
Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Nov. 2024
These are behaviors by a spouse, partner or loved one that are meant to control, isolate or frighten.
—R. Eric Thomas, The Denver Post, 16 Nov. 2024
The best way to counter those who would frighten their fellow citizens from the polls is to fight back — by recording, photographing and reporting attempts at harassment and by refusing to engage with people who try to accost voters.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, Orlando Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2024
While another golden retriever, Banks, went viral when his owner shared a fairly long list of the things that frighten him, including tarps, frogs, boxes, Halloween decorations and even feather dusters.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for frighten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frighten
Verb
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After moving to New York City in her mid-20s, Gloria Steinem made a list of the things about it that scared her.Sarah Medford, Architectural Digest, 12 Dec. 2024
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Still, the issue was not enough to scare off the NFL or the National Basketball Association, which renewed its contract with Nike in October.Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
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All at once, Eggers pays homage to Schreck’s beast and contorts him entirely; honoring the folklore written by and about the people who truly believed these creatures existed and were terrified of them.Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Dec. 2024
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As the fighting ramped up in September, with daily missile barrages on the entire north, people were terrified of driving, fearing they’d be caught on the roads without shelter.Dina Kraft, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
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She was startled out of her reverie—a strange erotic daydream, flesh without body, warmth without a face.Lauren Groff, The New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2024
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Unfortunately, that proves to be a problem when freaking Rob Cameron (Chris Fulton) startles Bri in her kitchen!Lincee Ray, EW.com, 7 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The looming economic and political crises has spooked markets, with French borrowing costs briefly rising above those of Greece on Monday.Alexander Smith, NBC News, 4 Dec. 2024
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But the deer had spooked (likely from the sound of the ATV, Laleman thinks).Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 4 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near frighten
Cite this Entry
“Frighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frighten. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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