Frightened
'fraɪtn̩d
Definitions
Feeling fear; alarmed or scared.
'fraɪtn̩d
Feeling fear or anxiety.
The frightened dog hid under the table during the thunderstorm.
💡 Simply: Imagine you see a huge, scary spider! You'd probably feel frightened. It means you're feeling scared or worried about something.
👶 For kids: Feeling scared and worried.
More Examples
She was frightened by the loud noise.
The children were frightened by the dark.
How It's Used
"The frightened child clung to her mother."
"Patients experiencing panic attacks may feel intensely frightened."
Idioms & expressions
scared stiff
Extremely frightened; paralyzed by fear.
"He was scared stiff when he saw the ghost."
frighten the living daylights out of someone
To scare someone very much.
"The loud bang in the night frightened the living daylights out of me."
From Middle English *frihten* (to frighten), from Old English *fyrhtan* (to terrify), related to *fyrhtu* (fear).
The word 'frightened' has been used in English literature for centuries to depict fear and apprehension. Shakespeare and other early writers employed it frequently.
Memory tip
Think of a frightful sight causing someone to become frightened.