Frightful Meaning in English
word
Definition
Very scary, shocking, or unpleasant. Used to describe something that causes fear or is extremely bad.
Usage & Nuances
More formal or old-fashioned; often found in literature or dramatic speech. Common collocations: 'frightful mess', 'frightful weather', 'frightful noise.' Can soften very strong negative judgments—'frightful' is less intense than 'terrifying'.
Spanish: espantoso - aterrador - horriblePortuguese (BR): assustador - horrívelPortuguese (PT): assustador - horrívelChinese (Simplified): 可怕的 - 恐怖的Chinese (Traditional): 可怕的 - 恐怖的Hindi: डरावना - भयावहArabic: مروع - مخيفBengali: ভয়ংকর - ভয়াবহ - ভীতিকরRussian: ужасающий - страшный - ужасныйJapanese: 恐ろしい - ひどいVietnamese: kinh khủng - đáng sợ - tệ hạiKorean: 무서운 - 끔찍한 - 두려운Turkish: korkunç - dehşet verici - feciUrdu: خوفناک - ہولناکIndonesian: mengerikan - menyeramkan - sangat buruk
Example Sentences
The haunted house looked frightful in the dark.
basic
We had a frightful storm last night.
basic
He made a frightful mistake on the test.
basic
That was a frightful movie—I couldn't even finish it.
natural
Sorry about the frightful mess in the kitchen—I've been baking all morning.
natural
Her singing was frightful, but at least she had fun.
natural