frighten

/ˈfraɪtn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfraɪtn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfrī-tᵊn/ (ame, mw)

frighten — verb

  • frightenpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • frightenshe / she / it
  • frightenedpast simple
  • frightening-ing form

1. to make a person or animal suddenly feel fear or worry, often because of somethi

1.動詞及物B1
釋義

to make a person or animal suddenly feel fear or worry, often because of something unexpected or dangerous

例句

Sari's sudden shout frightened the baby, who started crying.

transitive with direct object (the baby)

The loud thunder frightened Elena so much that she hid under her bed.

result clause: so much that...

同義詞
  • scare

    more informal and common in everyday conversation; 'frighten' is slightly more formal

  • startle

    suggests a sudden, brief surprise rather than lasting fear

  • alarm

    implies worry about potential danger rather than immediate fear

  • terrify

    much stronger; suggests extreme, overwhelming fear

反義詞
  • reassure

    to make someone feel less worried or afraid

  • calm

    to make someone feel peaceful and not afraid

文法句型

frighten + noun phrase

be + frightened + by/of + noun phrase

It frightens + sb + to-infinitive / when-clause

用法筆記

Frequently used in the passive (be frightened by/of). The adjective frightened is followed by of (frightened of spiders) or by (frightened by the noise). Distinguish from Sense 2 by the absence of a directional result — this sense describes the emotion only, without implying movement or change of location.

常見錯誤

❌I am frightening of spiders.
✅I am frightened of spiders.
💡The -ing form is for things that cause fear; the -ed form describes the person who feels fear.
❌The news frightened me to go home early.
✅The news frightened me, so I went home early.
💡Frighten does not take a to-infinitive to express result; use a separate clause with so or because instead.
❌She was frighten by the loud sound.
✅She was frightened by the loud sound.
💡The passive always requires the past participle form frightened, not the bare stem.

2. to force a person or animal to leave a place or stay away from it by making them

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to force a person or animal to leave a place or stay away from it by making them feel frightened

例句

The scarecrow frightened the crows away from the farmer's vegetable patch.

phrasal verb: frighten + away + from

Lucía's loud music frightened off the neighbors who had just moved in.

phrasal verb: frighten + off

同義詞
  • scare away

    more informal and common in casual speech; 'frighten away' is slightly more formal

  • drive off

    focuses on the result of leaving rather than the method (fear)

  • deter

    more formal; suggests preventing rather than actively forcing to leave

反義詞
  • attract

    to make someone or something come closer

  • lure

    to persuade someone to come by offering something appealing

文法句型

frighten + sb/sth + away/off

frighten + sb/sth + into/out of + noun/gerund

用法筆記

Only transitive. The object is typically an animal or person who leaves or stays away as a result of fear. The most common particles are away and off (both meaning 'drive off') and into (meaning 'coerce through fear'). The coerced action after into takes a gerund (frightened him into leaving).

常見錯誤

❌She frightened the dog away of the garden.
✅She frightened the dog away from the garden.
💡Use from to indicate the place being left, not of.
❌They frightened the robber into leaving the store.' (correct but sometimes confused with 'of')
✅Keep into + gerund
💡'frightened him into giving back the money.' — The pattern is into + doing something, not of + doing something.