# fright

/ˈfɹaɪt/ (US) · /fɹˈaɪt/ (UK) · CEFR B1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fright
Updated: 2026-05-06

## Definition

a sudden feeling of fear or shock. You often use it when something unexpected happens that makes you jump.

For teachers: a sudden intense feeling of fear or alarm. Often refers to the physical reaction to a startling event.

## Examples

- The loud bang gave me a real fright.
- The sudden appearance of a deer in the middle of the road gave the driver a terrible fright.
- While the movie relied heavily on cheap jump scares to give the audience a fright, the underlying psychological tension was what truly resonated with the critics.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I was very fright" but "I was very frightened" — Learners often use the noun 'fright' when they need the adjective 'frightened' to describe their feelings.

## Usage notes

- Commonly used in the phrase 'give someone a fright' or 'get a fright'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.