Frightening

Pronunciation: /ˈfraɪtənɪŋ/

Definitions of frightening

adjective causing fear or terror; scary

Example Sentences

A1 The loud thunderstorm was frightening for the young child.

A2 Walking alone in the dark alley was a frightening experience for her.

B1 The horror movie was so frightening that she couldn't sleep afterwards.

B2 The sight of the massive spider crawling towards her was truly frightening.

C1 The prospect of losing her job was a frightening thought that kept her up at night.

C2 The eerie silence of the abandoned house was both thrilling and frightening at the same time.

Examples of frightening in a Sentence

formal The sudden loud noise was quite frightening and caused a lot of panic among the crowd.

informal I find horror movies really frightening, they always give me nightmares.

slang That haunted house was so spooky, it was downright frightening!

figurative The thought of failing the exam was like a frightening shadow looming over her.

Grammatical Forms of frightening

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

Origin and Evolution of frightening

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'frightening' originated from the Middle English word 'frighten', which came from the Old English word 'fyrhto', meaning fear or terror.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'frightening' has evolved to encompass a broader range of emotions and situations that induce fear or terror in individuals.