# frighten off

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

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

## Definition

to make a person or animal go away by making them feel scared.

For teachers: to cause a person or animal to leave or avoid a situation by inducing fear or apprehension; often used when a potential threat or unwanted presence is removed.

## Examples

- The loud dog barked to frighten off the burglars.
- The company raised its prices so much that it managed to frighten off most of its loyal customers.
- Conservationists worry that increased tourist activity in the valley will frighten off the rare birds that nest there during the spring.

## Pitfalls

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

## Usage notes

- this is a transitive phrasal verb that can take either a physical or abstract object.
- Teaching tip: compare with 'scare off', which is more common in casual speech; 'frighten off' is slightly more formal but still very natural in everyday British and American English.

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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.