frighteningly

IPA/ˈfraɪtnɪŋli/
KK[frˈaɪtənɪŋli]IPA/ˈfraɪtnɪŋli/

frighteningly — adverb

1. in a manner that causes fear or alarm — used either to intensify a negative adje

1.adverbB2
Definition

in a manner that causes fear or alarm — used either to intensify a negative adjective (e.g., frighteningly expensive, frighteningly fast) or to describe how someone acts or looks when they are scared or scaring others.

Example

Rents in Singapore are frighteningly expensive for most young families.

frighteningly + adjective (degree)

Niran stared frighteningly at the broken vase, his face completely white.

frighteningly + verb (manner)

Common collocations
  • frighteningly expensive
  • frighteningly fast
  • frighteningly real
  • frighteningly close
  • frighteningly loud
  • frighteningly pale
  • frighteningly large
  • frighteningly accurate
Synonyms
  • alarmingly

    slightly more formal; often used in news or official reports (alarmingly high levels of pollution)

  • terrifyingly

    stronger emotion; suggests greater intensity of fear (terrifyingly dark, terrifyingly steep)

  • frightfully

    dated or British informal; can be used as a mild intensifier without literal fear (frightfully sorry, frightfully nice)

Antonyms
  • reassuringly

    opposite effect — calms rather than scares (reassuringly calm, reassuringly steady)

  • comfortingly

    opposite effect — soothes rather than alarms (comfortingly warm, comfortingly familiar)

Grammar Patterns

frighteningly + adjective

frighteningly + verb

Usage Note

Commonly used before adjectives to add strong negative emphasis (frighteningly fast, frighteningly real, frighteningly close). When modifying a verb, it usually describes facial expressions, sounds, or actions that scare others.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

Frighteningly is the most neutral and common of the four — it works naturally in both conversation and writing to intensify negative adjectives (frighteningly expensive) or describe scary behaviour. Alarmingly carries a more detached, factual tone and appears often in news and reports (alarmingly high rates of unemployment). Terrifyingly is the strongest: it implies genuinely intense fear (terrifyingly deep water, terrifyingly close to the edge). Frightfully is the odd one out — in modern British speech it can be used as a mild, somewhat old-fashioned intensifier without any real fear, as in 'I'm frightfully sorry' or 'It's frightfully kind of you.' In American English it is rare. For most learners, frighteningly is the safest and most versatile choice.

frighteningly ↗alarmingly ↗terrifyingly ↗frightfully ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • frighteningly + adjective
  • frighteningly + verb

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Derived from the verb 'frighten', which was formed in the 1600s from the noun 'fright' (Old English 'fyrhto' — sudden fear or terror). The suffix '-ing' creates the present-participle adjective 'frightening' (causing fear), and '-ly' turns it into an adverb describing the manner or degree of an action or quality.