Word
frighten
Phoneticsfright·en, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈfɹaɪtən/
UK/fɹˈaɪtən/
Definitions
01to scare someone
B1 · Intermediate
v. to make someone feel afraid or nervous.
v. to cause a person or animal to feel fear, alarm, or anxiety. Transitive — requires a direct object.
日本語:脅かす※
“The sudden thunder frightened the dog, and it hid under the sofa.”
“The sudden drop in stock prices frightened many small investors, leading to a wave of panic selling across the market.”
Pitfall
The loud noise was frightening for me.
The loud noise frightened me.
While 'frightening' is an adjective, the verb 'frighten' usually takes the person as a direct object without 'for'.
02to become afraid
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to become afraid or scared.
v. to become alarmed or afraid. Intransitive — used without a direct object, though less common than the transitive form.
“He is the kind of person who does not frighten easily, even in danger.”
“Horses are prey animals that frighten easily when they encounter unfamiliar sights or sounds on the trail.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “frighten” in context.
Verb
01. frighten someone into doing something
“The bullies tried to frighten the boy into giving them his lunch money.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
02. frighten the life out of someone
“The sudden thunderclap frightened the life out of the children.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
03. try to frighten
“Don't listen to his stories; he is just trying to frighten you.”
verb + infinitive
Adverb
04. easily frighten
“Be careful with the new horse; he is young and easily frightens.”
adv + verb
05. frighten someone away
“The loud noise from the construction site frightened the birds away.”
verb + noun + adv
06. frighten someone half to death
“You frightened me half to death jumping out from behind the door like that!”
verb + noun + adv
Etymology
From Middle English *frightenen, equivalent to fright + -en.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/frighten
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0