Frighten

Pronunciation: /fraɪtən/

Definitions of frighten

verb to cause fear or terror in someone

Example Sentences

A1 The loud noise frightened the cat.

A2 She was frightened by the sudden appearance of a spider.

B1 The horror movie frightened the audience with its realistic special effects.

B2 The unexpected sound in the dark alley frightened her, causing her to run away in fear.

C1 The prospect of losing his job frightened him into working harder to prove his worth.

C2 The eerie silence of the abandoned house frightened her to the core, making her question her decision to explore it alone.

Examples of frighten in a Sentence

formal The loud noise from the construction site may frighten some residents.

informal Don't sneak up on me like that, you really frighten me!

slang That horror movie last night really spooked me, it was so frightenin'.

figurative The thought of failing the exam frightens me more than anything else.

Grammatical Forms of frighten

• past tense: frightened
• plural: frightens
• comparative: more frightening
• superlative: most frightening
• present tense: frighten
• future tense: will frighten
• perfect tense: have frightened
• continuous tense: is frightening
• singular: frightens
• positive degree: frightening
• infinitive: to frighten
• gerund: frightening
• participle: frightening

Origin and Evolution of frighten

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'frighten' originated from the Middle English word 'frightenen' which was derived from the Old English word 'afyrhtan' meaning to terrify or frighten.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'frighten' has retained its original meaning of causing fear or terror, but has also evolved to encompass a broader sense of causing anxiety or unease.