Frightful

/ˈfraɪt.fəl/

Meaning & Definition

adjective

Causing fear or terror; terrifying.

The frightful storm left everyone in the town trembling with fear.

Very bad or unpleasant; extremely poor in quality.

Her frightful performance received harsh criticism from the judges.

Remarkable in a negative sense; often used hyperbolically.

He shared a frightful tale of his adventures in the haunted house.

Originating from the Middle English frightful, derived from fright + -ful.

frightful experience

A terrifying or deeply unsettling experience.

frightful weather

Severe and extremely bad weather conditions.

frightful mess

A disorganized or chaotic situation.

fright

A feeling of fear or anxiety.

fearful

Feeling afraid; showing fear.

Extremely unpleasant or bad.

That was a frightful dinner party!

Intensely frightening.

The horror movie was frightful beyond belief.