frightful
AdjectiveWordNet 3.0
Adjective (3)
- 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”Synonyms: atrocioushorrifyinghorribleugly
- extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact“in a frightful hurry”“spent a frightful amount of money”Synonyms: terribleawfultremendous
- extremely distressing“fearful slum conditions”“a frightful mistake”Synonyms: fearful
Webster's Dictionary (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]