1
as in terrifying
causing fear
a frightful sound emanated from somewhere deep within the forest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of frightful
On the front, there might be frightful faces, either side of the belly.
—
Literary Hub, 28 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
Literary Hub, 28 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
-
For Orlo Vista residents, the disaster unfolded with terrifying speed.—
Greg Bennett,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 May 2026
-
Nicholls opened Rockwater not long after Cyclone Pam, a terrifying storm that churned through Vanuatu and inflicted $600 million in damage.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2026
Adjective
-
With Chubb and Phillips still on the mend from gruesome injuries the year prior, the then-rookie was thought to be the heir apparent.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2026
-
The case has been widely reported by China’s heavily state censored media for the gruesome details of how Xu plotted the murder.—
Sylvie Zhuang,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
But today’s wars of words seem designed to fuel intense polarization, not to change minds.—
Lisa Pavia-Higel,
The Conversation,
27 May 2026
-
Big tech giants including Microsoft, Google, and Amazon have prioritized growing their chips business to rely less on AI chipmaker Nvidia, who reported a strong first quarter last week, even as competition is getting more intense from rivals including Advanced Micro Devices and Broadcom.—
John Kell,
Fortune,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Cuban military, once a formidable expeditionary force during Cold War campaigns in Africa, now struggles with chronic fuel shortages, aging equipment, limited mobility and poor readiness, Pérez said.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2026
-
The elder Jackson, one of Chicago’s most famous civil rights icons, died in February and left his formidable organization to his son Yusef.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
This season has been horrific for Wolverhampton Wanderers.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
-
Padgen, a part of the Tuesday squad, said volunteers typically show up the same day every week and spend about seven hours together, making each squad incredibly close and giving veterans, especially those who have lived through horrific combat, a place to feel understood.—
Addison Wright,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2026
Adjective
-
For Paul, dragging long sheets of metal was intensive.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
-
Distillation is a process in which a small, less resource-intensive model learns to mimic a large, expensive one.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
Nate was a compelling, complex antagonist for Euphoria’s first two seasons, but this season has seen the man brutalized by frightening criminals who make his mind games look like child’s play.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2026
-
But that only made things slightly less frightening.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 May 2026
Adjective
-
The concept that menopause is this horrible phase of life goes back some time.—
Torie Bosch,
STAT,
23 May 2026
-
Despite Christophe’s many efforts to escape his origins, Clichy never portrays his home front as a horrible place, but rather as a loving household torn apart by financial worry and alcoholism.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frightful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frightful. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
