frighteningly en · ADV
Etymology
Etymology tree English frightening Middle English -ly English -ly English frighteningly From frightening + -ly.
Meanings
- In a frightening or terrifying manner.
-
Very; beyond usual expectation so as to cause surprise or concern.
The pitcher that was set before me was frighteningly large.
Risk is everywhere.[…]For each [kind] there is a frighteningly precise measurement of just how likely it is to jump from the shadows and get you. “The Norm Chronicles”[…]aims to help data-phobes find their way through this blizzard of risks.
2013 June 22, “Snakes and ladders”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8841, archived from the original on 11 Jan 2025, page 76:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most frighteningly | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more frighteningly | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Synonyms
surprisingly (beyond usual expectation) · terrifyingly (in a frightening manner)
Translations (8)
pl przerażająco (in a frightening manner) · es espantosamente (in a frightening manner) · ca espantosament (in a frightening manner) · fi hirvittävästi (in a frightening manner) · fi pelottavasti (in a frightening manner) · fi karmivasti (in a frightening manner) · pt espantosamente (in a frightening manner) · ru пуга́юще (in a frightening manner)