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View synonyms for frightful

frightful

[ frahyt-fuhl ]

adjective

  1. such as to cause fright; dreadful, terrible, or alarming:

    A frightful howl woke us.

    Synonyms: awful, fearful

    Antonyms: delightful

  2. horrible, shocking, or revolting:

    The storm did frightful damage.

    Synonyms: gruesome, ghastly, horrid, dread, hideous

    Antonyms: delightful

  3. Informal. unpleasant; disagreeable:

    We had a frightful time.

  4. Informal. very great; extreme:

    That actor is very talented but a frightful ham.



frightful

/ ˈfraɪtfʊl /

adjective

  1. very alarming, distressing, or horrifying
  2. unpleasant, annoying, or extreme

    a frightful hurry

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


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Derived Forms

  • ˈfrightfulness, noun
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Other Words From

  • frightful·ly adverb
  • frightful·ness noun
  • un·frightful adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of frightful1

Middle English word dating back to 1200–50; fright, -ful
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Example Sentences

On the other hand, there were also monstrous and frightful jötnar – like the giant wolf Fenrir and the humongous serpent Jormungand.

When the weather outside is frightful, sometimes the only solution is to make the mood scarier with a spooky movie.

From Time

Other properties aim to appeal to travelers by promoting safe indoor activities when the weather outside is frightful.

However frightful Nader found it, the concept intrigued him that “convergence” could be found among disparate groups.

All these frightful trends are already emerging—and they will accelerate every day that the diplomatic wrangling continues.

When the weather outside is frightful, board a plane and head to Florida.

Today, it's worlds away from the cruel and frightful bigotry of that time.

She looked from the picture to her daughter, with a frightful glare, in their before mild aspect.

The darkness, or rather the general misapprehension, which prevails on this subject, is a frightful source of disease and misery.

But, though defeated, he showed his spirit by keeping up a frightful barking.

Most of the young fellows around here are in the Army, and the older men are frightful old fossils.

Till lately they have died in a proportion frightful compared with their numbers.

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