frightful
/'fraitful/
Definition
- Adjective:
- Extremely distressing or upsetting: Used to describe something that causes great fear, shock, or dismay.
- Extreme in degree or amount: Used informally to emphasize a very large or excessive degree of something.
- Provoking horror; atrocious: Describing something so bad or violent that it causes a feeling of horror.
Usage and Examples
Describing something extremely distressing:
- The survivors described the storm as a frightful experience.
- He made a frightful mistake by ignoring the safety warnings.
Emphasizing an extreme degree (informal):
- We are in a frightful hurry to catch the last train.
- She spent a frightful amount of money on that antique vase.
Describing something horrifying or atrocious:
- The news reported a frightful crime that shocked the community.
- The accident left a frightful scene for the emergency responders.
Advanced Usage
- "frightful mess/state": Used to describe a situation or place that is in an extremely bad or disordered condition.
- The children's room was in a frightful mess after the party.
- "frightful noise": Used to describe an extremely loud and unpleasant sound.
- A frightful noise came from the construction site early in the morning.
Variants and Related Words
- Fright (n): A sudden, intense feeling of fear.
- The loud bang gave me a terrible fright.
- Frighten (v): To make someone afraid or anxious.
- The sudden noise frightened the cat.
- Frightened (adj): Afraid or anxious.
- The frightened child hid behind the door.
- Frightening (adj): Causing fear or alarm.
- The documentary about climate change was frightening.
Synonyms
- Dreadful: Extremely bad or unpleasant.
- Horrible: Causing or likely to cause horror; shocking.
- Terrible: Extremely or distressingly bad or serious.
- Awful: Very bad or unpleasant.
- Appalling: Causing shock or dismay; horrific.
Antonyms
- Pleasant: Giving a sense of happy satisfaction or enjoyment.
- Delightful: Causing delight; charming.
- Wonderful: Inspiring delight, pleasure, or admiration.
Idioms and Phrases
- A frightful sight: Something that is very shocking or unpleasant to look at.
- The aftermath of the fire was a frightful sight.
- In a frightful state: In a condition of great distress or disorder.
- She was in a frightful state after hearing the bad news.
Adjective
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extremely distressing
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fearful slum conditions
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a frightful mistake
-
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extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact
-
in a frightful hurry
-
spent a frightful amount of money
-
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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
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