# frighten away

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/frighten-away
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to make a person or animal feel afraid so that they leave or stay far from you.

For teachers: to cause a person or animal to depart or avoid a location through the use of fear or intimidation; a transitive phrasal verb often used in the context of deterring unwanted visitors or wildlife.

## Examples

- The loud dog will frighten away any burglars.
- If you make too much noise while walking through the woods, you will frighten away the birds.
- The sudden implementation of aggressive tax laws served only to frighten away potential foreign investors who were previously keen on the market.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The noise frightened away them." but "The noise frightened them away." — when the object is a pronoun like 'them', it must go between the verb and the particle.

## Usage notes

- this phrase is separable, meaning the object can go between 'frighten' and 'away'.
- Teaching tip: compare with 'scare off', which is more common in informal speech; 'frighten away' is slightly more formal but functions identically.

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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.