Frightfulness

Pronunciation: /fraɪt.fʊlnəs/

Definitions of frightfulness

noun the state or quality of being frightful; extreme fear or terror

Example Sentences

A1 The little girl was scared by the frightfulness of the haunted house.

A2 The movie's frightfulness kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.

B1 The journalist reported on the frightfulness of the war zone.

B2 The politician's speech highlighted the frightfulness of the current situation.

C1 The novel delves into the psychological frightfulness of the main character's past.

C2 The artist's paintings capture the raw frightfulness of human suffering.

Examples of frightfulness in a Sentence

formal The frightfulness of the situation was evident in the eyes of the witnesses.

informal I can't believe the frightfulness of that horror movie we watched last night.

slang The frightfulness of that haunted house was off the charts.

figurative The frightfulness of his words sent chills down her spine.

Grammatical Forms of frightfulness

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

Origin and Evolution of frightfulness

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Middle English

Story behind the word: The word 'frightfulness' originated from the Middle English word 'frightfulnesse' which was derived from the Old English word 'fyrhto', meaning fear or terror.

Evolution of the word: Over time, 'frightfulness' has retained its original meaning of causing fear or terror, but it may also be used to describe something that is extremely alarming or shocking.