Dictionary

frighten en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• [ˈfɹ̥aɪʔn̩]
• /ˈfɹaɪ.tən/
• [ˈfɹ̥aɪtn̩]

Etymology

From Middle English *frightenen, equivalent to fright + -en.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To cause to feel fear; to scare; to cause to feel alarm or fright.
   • Avery puts a sheet over her head, pretending to be a ghost to frighten Emily.
   • And he commanded his soldiers […] to frighten them with fierce swords, but the hearts of the holy men did not quail, and they were unable to alter their words. 1928, E. A. Wallis Budge, transl., The Book of the Saints of the Ethiopian Church[:] A translation of the Ethiopic Synaxarium […] , volume 1, London: Cambridge University Press, page 220:
   • You may frighten a pig, a goose, a frog, and even a fly, but you cannot frighten or surprise a sloth. 1883, Felix Leopold Oswald, “A Step-child of Nature”, in Zoological Sketches[:] A Contribution to the Out-door Study of Natural History, Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co., page 90:
   • His Deſign was only to frighten France, and get more Money. 1746, Isaac Kimber, “Henry VII”, in The History of England, from the Earliest Accounts to the Accession of His Present Majesty King George II. […] , page 217:
2. (intransitive) To become scared or alarmed.
   • Those male moose at the southeast arm didn't frighten very much when we docked to fly-fish one day. One was so scared of us he just walked toward us and snorted. 1959, Harold G. (Hack) Miller, “Rod and gun”, in Hearings […] , Washington: United States Government Printing Office, page 101:
   • In fitting the White Leghorns for exhibition, it must be remembered that they are of nervous disposition and frighten easily. 1898, Franklane L. Sewell, Ida E. Tilson, “White Leghorns”, in The Poultry Herald Manual[:] A Guide to Successful Poultry Keeping, St. Paul, Minnesota: Webb Publishing Company, page 41:
   • Be sneaky. Fish frighten easily. 1995 April 14, Jeff Csatari, “Tackle Tips”, in Boys' Life, volume 85, number 4, Irving, Texas: Boy Scouts of America, Inc., →ISSN, page 42:

Forms

Coordinates

annoy · vex · enrage

Deriveds

unfrighten · frightening · frightensome · frightenable · refrighten · do someone a frighten · frighten the life out of someone · frighten the horses · overfrighten · frightener · frighten the piss out of

Hypernyms

inflict · upset · affect

Hyponyms

intimidate · daunt

Relateds

asustar · disheartening · nervous · fright · afraid · coward · fear

Synonyms

frighten · horrify · scare the shit out of · harrow · scare straight · scare the pants off of · scare · terrify · terrorize · appall · affright · scare the hell out of · spook · mortify · dismay · fray · alarm · grill · petrify · scare the bejeebers out of · make someone's blood run cold · give someone the shits

Translations (120)

lv biedināt (to disturb with fear) · nah tetzauhqui (to disturb with fear) · sh strȁšiti (to disturb with fear) · br spontañ (to disturb with fear) · fi säikähdyttää (to disturb with fear) · bg изпла́ша (to disturb with fear) · grc πτήσσω (to disturb with fear) · mk заплаши (to disturb with fear) · uk зляка́ти (to disturb with fear) · cmn 嚇 /吓 (to disturb with fear) · ca esporuguir (to disturb with fear) · sip དཀྲོགས (to disturb with fear) · fur spaurî (to disturb with fear) · ca espaventar (to disturb with fear) · pox aizosĕt (to disturb with fear) · uk ляка́ти (to disturb with fear) · be спало́хаць (to disturb with fear) · be пало́хаць (to disturb with fear) · sl strašiti (to disturb with fear) · got 𐍉𐌲𐌾𐌰𐌽 (to disturb with fear) · ro înspăimânta (to disturb with fear) · wa sbarer (to disturb with fear) · lv baidīt (to disturb with fear) · uk страши́ти (to disturb with fear) · mk исплаши (to disturb with fear) · uk страха́ти (to disturb with fear) · my ခြောက် (to disturb with fear) · es amedrentar (to disturb with fear) · it spaventare (to disturb with fear) · it spaurire (to disturb with fear) · ast atemoriar (to disturb with fear) · ro speria (to disturb with fear) · te భయపడు (to disturb with fear) · pt intimidar (to disturb with fear) · bg изпла́швам (to disturb with fear) · mk плаши (to disturb with fear) · izh pölässyttää (to disturb with fear) · be застрашы́ць (to disturb with fear) · ar خَشَّى (to disturb with fear) · fr terrifier (to disturb with fear) · ru испуга́ть (to disturb with fear) · sl prestrašiti (to disturb with fear) · sw -ogofya (to disturb with fear) · ast apavorar (to disturb with fear) · az qorxuya salmaq (to disturb with fear) · cy dychryn (to disturb with fear) · pl straszyć (to disturb with fear) · ar أَفْزَعَ (to disturb with fear) · ru страши́ть (to disturb with fear) · cs vystrašit (to disturb with fear) · gl espantar (to disturb with fear) · az qorxuzmaq (to disturb with fear) · es aspaventar (to disturb with fear) · sh prèstrašiti (to disturb with fear) · nl bang maken (to disturb with fear) · ast apavoriar (to disturb with fear) · fr effrayer (to disturb with fear) · hy վախեցնել (to disturb with fear) · grc ἐκφοβέω (to disturb with fear) · nl beangstigen (to disturb with fear) · ru устраши́ть (to disturb with fear) · be страшы́ць (to disturb with fear) · lv biedēt (to disturb with fear) · es amedrantar (to disturb with fear) · izh aroittaa (to disturb with fear) · fi pelottaa (to disturb with fear) · es asustar (to disturb with fear) · ga cuir eagla ar (to disturb with fear) · ms menakutkan (to disturb with fear) · la terreō (to disturb with fear) · grc φοβέω (to disturb with fear) · da skræmme (to disturb with fear) · ka შეშინება (to disturb with fear) · grc φοβερίζω (to disturb with fear) · kmr tirsandin (to disturb with fear) · de Angst machen (to disturb with fear) · ast amedrentar (to disturb with fear) · ko 겁먹게 만들다 (to disturb with fear) · eo timigi (to disturb with fear) · fi säikyttää (to disturb with fear) · sh прѐстрашити (to disturb with fear) · dsb tšachaś (to disturb with fear) · sh за̀страшити (to disturb with fear) · gl atemorizar (to disturb with fear) · vi làm hoảng sợ (to disturb with fear) · zza tersanen (to disturb with fear) · ga scanraigh (to disturb with fear) · uk застраши́ти (to disturb with fear) · ary خلع (to disturb with fear) · bg пла́ша (to disturb with fear) · de schrecken (to disturb with fear) · ja 怖がらせる (to disturb with fear) · el τρομάζω (to disturb with fear) · sv skrämma (to disturb with fear) · ca esgarrifar (to disturb with fear) · sw -ogofisha (to disturb with fear) · ru пуга́ть (to disturb with fear) · wa fé sogne (to disturb with fear) · sh zàstrašiti (to disturb with fear) · fr redouter (to disturb with fear) · ru напуга́ть (to disturb with fear) · ps وېرول (to disturb with fear) · om sodaachiisuu (to disturb with fear) · de ängstigen (to disturb with fear) · es atemorizar (to disturb with fear) · cmn 嚇唬 /吓唬 (to disturb with fear) · pl nastraszyć (to disturb with fear) · de beängstigen (to disturb with fear) · az qorxutmaq (to disturb with fear) · ang grēosan (to disturb with fear) · fa ترساندن (to disturb with fear) · de erschrecken (to disturb with fear) · sh стра̏шити (to disturb with fear) · pt ameaçar (to disturb with fear) · haw hoʻomākaʻukaʻu (to disturb with fear) · tr korkutmak (to disturb with fear) · pt amedrontar (to disturb with fear) · ca espantar (to disturb with fear) · pl przestraszyć (to disturb with fear) · sk vystrašiť (to disturb with fear)