Synonyms for frightful
ˈfraɪt fəlfright·ful

WiktionaryRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. frightfuladjective

   Synonyms:
   alarming, shocking, horrible, dreadful, fearful, terrible, terrific, horrid, awful

2. frightfuladjective

   : Full of fright; affrighted; frightened.

   Synonyms:
   fearful, shocking, dreadful, alarming, terrible, terrific, horrid, awful, horrible

3. frightfuladjective

   Full of that which causes fright; exciting alarm; impressing terror; shocking; as, a frightful chasm, or tempest; a frightful appearance.

   Synonyms:
   horrible, dreadful, terrific, horrid, fearful, shocking, terrible, alarming, awful

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. frightful

   Awful should not be used of things which are merely disagreeable or annoying, nor of all that are alarming and terrible, but only of such as bring a solemn awe upon the soul, as in the presence of a superior power; as, the awful hush before the battle. That which is awful arouses an oppressive, that which is august an admiring reverence; we speak of the august presence of a mighty monarch, the awful presence of death. We speak of an exalted station, a grand mountain, an imposing presence, a majestic cathedral, a noble mien, a solemn litany, a stately march, an august assembly, the awful scene of the Judgment Day.

   Synonyms:
   alarming, appalling, august, awful, dire, direful, dread, dreadful, fearful, grand, horrible, imposing, majestic, noble, portentous, shocking, solemn, stately, terrible, terrific

   Antonyms:
   base, beggarly, commonplace, contemptible, despicable, humble, inferior, lowly, mean, paltry, undignified, vulgar

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. frightful

   Synonyms:
   terrible, horrible, alarming, ugly, hideous, monstrous, dreadful, direful, awful, shocking, horrid, terrific

   Antonyms:
   pleasing, attractive, beautiful, fair, encouraging, lovely

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. atrocious, frightful, horrifying, horrible, uglyadjective

   provoking horror

   "an atrocious automobile accident"; "a frightful crime of decapitation"; "an alarming, even horrifying, picture"; "war is beyond all words horrible"- Winston Churchill; "an ugly wound"

   Synonyms:
   flagitious, unworthy, wretched, terrible, monstrous, fearful, horrible, worthless, tremendous, abominable, unspeakable, awful, grievous, atrocious, slimy, ugly, dreadful, horrifying, vile, despicable, painful, surly

   Antonyms:
   good, unalarming, ordinary

2. frightful, terrible, awful, tremendousadjective

   extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact

   "in a frightful hurry"; "spent a frightful amount of money"

   Synonyms:
   dreadful, enormous, marvelous, wondrous, rattling(a), awful, amazing, horrendous, severe, tremendous, dreaded, dire, wonderful, grand, marvellous, atrocious, painful, horrifying, awing, awed, wicked, horrific, dread(a), awe-inspiring, unspeakable, fearful, nasty, terrible, horrible, abominable, fantastic, frightening, terrific, awesome, fearsome, howling(a), direful, ugly

   Antonyms:
   good, ordinary, unalarming

3. fearful, frightfuladjective

   extremely distressing

   "fearful slum conditions"; "a frightful mistake"

   Synonyms:
   dread(a), fearsome, timorous, terrible, horrific, dreaded, fearful, horrible, tremendous, frightening, horrendous, awful, cowardly, horrifying, atrocious, ugly, dreadful, direful, dire, trepid

   Antonyms:
   unalarming, good, ordinary

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. frightfuladjective

   Synonyms:
   terrible, terrific, GREWSOME, fearful, alarming, dreadful, direful, dire, horrid, horrible, awful, shocking

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. frightfuladjective

   Synonyms:
   terrible, dreadful, hideous, ogreish, fearful, alarming, grewsome, grim, dire, direful, awful, gorgonian, horrible

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "frightful":

   scary, frightening, terrible, appalling, curse

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Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use frightful in a sentence?

1. Johann von Goethe:

   There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action.

2. Barbara Blair:

   The new law is preposterous, mentally and emotionally ill individuals should be removed from the streets, involuntarily if necessary.They should be placed in high-quality settings, institutional settings if necessary, where they get the shelter, food and care they need.Having drug addicts, a frightful condition, freely injecting drugs and passing out in public is not tenable.

3. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe:

   There is nothing more frightful than imagination without taste.

4. Hannah More:

   Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off the goal.

5. Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley:

   I saw—with shut eyes, but acute mental vision—I saw the pale student of unhallowed arts kneeling beside the thing he had put together. I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out, and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life and stir with an uneasy, half-vital motion. Frightful must it be, for supremely frightful would be the effect of any human endeavor to mock the stupendous mechanism of the Creator of the world.