'Frightful' definitions:
Definition of 'frightful'
(from WordNet)
adjective
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" [syn: atrocious, frightful, horrifying, horrible, ugly]
adjective
Extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact; "in a frightful hurry"; "spent a frightful amount of money" [syn: frightful, terrible, awful, tremendous]
adjective
Extremely distressing; "fearful slum conditions"; "a frightful mistake" [syn: fearful, frightful]
Definition of 'Frightful'
From: GCIDE
- Frightful \Fright"ful\, a.
- 1. Full of fright; affrighted; frightened. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
- See how the frightful herds run from the wood. --W. Browne. [1913 Webster]
- 2. Full of that which causes fright; exciting alarm; impressing terror; shocking; as, a frightful chasm, or tempest; a frightful appearance.
- Syn: Terrible; dreadful; alarming; fearful; terrific; awful; horrid; horrible; shocking.
- Usage: Frightful, Dreadful, Awful. These words all express fear. In frightful, it is a sudden emotion; in dreadful, it is deeper and more prolonged; in awful, the fear is mingled with the emotion of awe, which subdues us before the presence of some invisible power. An accident may be frightful; the approach of death is dreadful to most men; the convulsions of the earthquake are awful. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'frightful'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- abhorrent,
- abominable,
- alarming,
- appalling,
- atrocious,
- awful,
- awing,
- chilling,
- daunting,
- deadly,
- deterrent,
- deterring,
- disagreeable,
- disconcerting,
- discouraging,
- disheartening,
- dismaying,
- disquieting,
- dreadful,
- fear-inspiring,
- fearful,
- fearsome,
- forbidding,
- formidable,
- foul,
- frightening,
- ghastly,
- grisly,
- gruesome,
- hideous,
- horrendous,
- horrible,
- horrid,
- horrific,
- horrifying,
- howling,
- loathsome,
- lurid,
- macabre,
- nasty,
- nauseating,
- nauseous,
- offensive,
- overawing,
- repelling,
- repugnant,
- repulsive,
- revolting,
- rousing,
- scaring,
- scary,
- shocking,
- startling,
- terrible,
- terrific,
- thumping,
- ugly,
- unspeakable,
- vile,
- whacking