B1adjective2K

Frightened

UK /["/ˈfraɪtnd/"]/US /["/ˈfraɪtnd/"]/

Definition

afraid; feeling fear

In simple words: feeling scared or afraid

Examples

  • The frightened child ran to her mother for comfort.
  • He looked frightened when he saw the shadow in the dark.
  • After the thunderstorm, the dog appeared frightened and shaky.
  • I was frightened by the sudden loud noise coming from the basement.

Usage notes

Use 'frightened' to describe a feeling of fear. It can be used in most contexts. Avoid using in overly casual situations where simpler words like 'scared' might fit better.

Grammar pattern

be + frightened

Memory hint

Frightened sounds like 'fight and end' — imagine fighting a fear to end it!

Collocations

  • be
  • feel
  • look
  • extremely
  • fairly
  • very
  • about
  • by
  • of
  • frightened out of your wits
  • frightened to death
  • too frightened (of somebody/​something) to do something

Synonyms

  • scared
  • alarmed
  • terrified
  • afraid
  • apprehensive

Antonyms

  • calm
  • unafraid
  • confident

Common mistakes

  • Confusing 'frightened' with 'frightening'. 'Frightened' describes a feeling, while 'frightening' describes something that causes fear.
  • Using 'frightened' in the wrong tense, like saying 'I frighten' instead of 'I am frightened.'
  • Adding unnecessary prepositions, like saying 'frightened of' instead of just 'frightened.'