FRIGHTENING

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does frightening mean? 

• FRIGHTENING (noun)
  The noun FRIGHTENING has 1 sense:

1. the act of inspiring with fear

  Familiarity information: FRIGHTENING used as a noun is very rare.

• FRIGHTENING (adjective)
  The adjective FRIGHTENING has 1 sense:

1. causing fear or dread or terror

  Familiarity information: FRIGHTENING used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FRIGHTENING (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of inspiring with fear

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

frightening; terrorisation; terrorization

Hypernyms ("frightening" is a kind of...):

bullying; intimidation (the act of intimidating a weaker person to make them do something)

Domain category:

act of terrorism; terrorism; terrorist act (the calculated use of violence (or the threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear)

Derivation:

frighten (cause fear in)

• FRIGHTENING (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Causing fear or dread or terror

Synonyms:

awful; dire; direful; dread; dreaded; dreadful; fearful; fearsome; frightening; horrendous; horrific; terrible

Context example:

a terrible curse

Similar:

alarming (frightening because of an awareness of danger)

 Context examples 

It is frightening her to death.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Because no time is to be lost in frightening my old housekeeper out of her wits, because I must go and prepare a dinner for you, to be sure.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

For children, chronic illnesses can be frightening, because they may not understand why this is happening to them.

(Coping with Chronic Illness, NIH)

"Yes, Jo, I think your harvest will be a good one," began Mrs. March, frightening away a big black cricket that was staring Teddy out of countenance.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

"See what you have done! My cow has broken her leg, and I must take her to the mender's shop and have it glued on again. What do you mean by coming here and frightening my cow?"

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

Miss Mills replied in the affirmative so readily, that I further asked her if she would take charge of the Cookery Book; and, if she ever could insinuate it upon Dora's acceptance, without frightening her, undertake to do me that crowning service.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

A sleep disorder characterized by the repeated occurrence of frightening dreams which precipitate awakenings from sleep; on awakening, the individual becomes fully alert and oriented and has detailed recall of the nightmare, which usually involves imminent danger or extreme embarrassment to the individual.

(Nightmare Disorder, NCI Thesaurus)

“How much better is this,” said she, as she walked to the fender—“how much better to find a fire ready lit, than to have to wait shivering in the cold till all the family are in bed, as so many poor girls have been obliged to do, and then to have a faithful old servant frightening one by coming in with a faggot!

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

The idea of their frightening her, and making her cry, and of my not being there to comfort her, was so excruciating, that it impelled me to write a wild letter to Mr. Spenlow, beseeching him not to visit upon her the consequences of my awful destiny.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I couldn't sleep all night; a fog-horn was groaning incessantly on the Sound, and I tossed half-sick between grotesque reality and savage frightening dreams.

(The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald)