frightful

[ frahyt-fuhl ]

adjective

1. such as to cause fright; dreadful, terrible, or alarming:

   A frightful howl woke us.

   Synonyms: awful, fearful

   Antonyms: delightful

2. horrible, shocking, or revolting:

   The storm did frightful damage.

   Synonyms: gruesome, ghastly, horrid, dread, hideous

   Antonyms: delightful

3. Informal. unpleasant; disagreeable:

   We had a frightful time.

4. Informal. very great; extreme:

   That actor is very talented but a frightful ham.

frightful

/ ˈfraɪtfʊl /

adjective

1. very alarming, distressing, or horrifying
2. unpleasant, annoying, or extreme

   a frightful hurry

Derived Forms

• ˈfrightfulness, noun

Other Words From

• frightful·ly adverb
• frightful·ness noun
• un·frightful adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of frightful¹

Middle English word dating back to 1200–50; fright, -ful

Example Sentences

The Cold War was a frightful time, but it was also a system of international security; the collapse of the Soviet Union, which brought on the end of the Cold War, also shattered that system.

From Slate

The frightful premise of “The Front Room” doesn’t nearly prepare you what it delivers: laugh-out-loud punchlines, explosive flatulence and moments of such darkly humorous absurdity that would have a more natural home in a raunchy juvenile comedy.

From Los Angeles Times

Walker said the conditions for such a catch are frightful.

From Los Angeles Times

She added it was "scarcely credible such a frightful pub exists in Cymru".

From BBC

Even serving as a poll worker in this part of the country can be a formidable enterprise; signing oneself up to the face of the opposition in a race already nationally known for nastiness seemed like a frightful proposition.

From Slate

Related Words

• awful
• calamitous
• dreadful
• ghastly
• hideous
• horrible
• lewd
• shocking
• terrible
• terrific
• unpleasant