# frighten

/ˈfɹaɪtən/ (US) · /fɹˈaɪtən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/frighten
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to scare someone

verb · CEFR B1

to make someone feel afraid or nervous.

For teachers: to cause a person or animal to feel fear, alarm, or anxiety. Transitive — requires a direct object.

- 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.

### 2. to become afraid

verb · CEFR B2

to become afraid or scared.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- The loud thunder might frighten the dog.
- The sudden movement in the bushes was enough to frighten the hikers, who stopped immediately to look for bears.
- While the ghost stories were intended to entertain the children, the vivid descriptions of the haunted attic began to frighten them more than their parents had anticipated.

---

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.