frightful

IPA/ˈfraɪtfl/
KK[frˈaɪtfəl]IPA/ˈfraɪtfl/

frightful — 形容詞

  • frightfulpositive
  • more frightfulcomparative
  • most frightfulsuperlative

1. used before a noun, or after 'be', to stress that the thing being described is u

1.形容詞C1
釋義

糟透了；極糟

用來強調事情糟糕、過度的程度

used before a noun, or after 'be', to stress that the thing being described is unusually bad, extreme, or annoying in degree.

例句

Sana made a frightful mess in the kitchen while baking her sister's birthday cake.

Sana 在幫妹妹烤生日蛋糕時，把廚房弄得一團糟。

attributive: a frightful + noun (mess / racket / fuss)

The traffic on the motorway out of Manchester was frightful after the football match ended.

足球賽結束後，曼徹斯特外環高速公路上的車潮糟糕透了。

predicative: be frightful (about a situation, weather, or traffic)

常見搭配
  • a frightful mess
  • a frightful bore
  • a frightful row
  • a frightful waste
  • frightful weather
同義詞
  • awful

    more neutral register, used in both UK and US English.

  • dreadful

    near-synonym, also British-leaning and slightly old-fashioned.

  • terrible

    broader, more common in American English.

反義詞
  • wonderful

    positive equivalent in the same hyperbolic register.

  • splendid

    British-leaning positive intensifier matching the same tone.

文法句型

a frightful + noun

be frightful

用法筆記

Frequently British and slightly old-fashioned; in American English speakers usually say 'awful' or 'terrible' instead. Distinguish from sense 2: here the word means 'very' or 'extremely bad' as a hyperbolic intensifier, not 'causing real fear'.

常見錯誤

The exam was frightful difficult.
The exam was frightfully difficult.
to modify an adjective, use the adverb 'frightfully', not the adjective 'frightful'.
A frightful little cat sat on the wall.' (when you mean cute)
A sweet little cat sat on the wall.
'frightful' is always negative; it cannot mean 'lovely' or 'charming'.

2. so shocking, terrifying, or distressing that it produces real fear, horror, or d

2.形容詞C1
釋義

可怕的；駭人

形容真的會引起恐懼或極大震驚的事物

so shocking, terrifying, or distressing that it produces real fear, horror, or deep upset in the people who see or experience it.

例句

Witnesses described a frightful scene at the crash site, with smoke pouring from the bus.

目擊者描述車禍現場景象駭人，翻覆的巴士不斷冒出濃煙。

attributive: a frightful + scene / accident / sight

Mira had a frightful nightmare about being chased through an empty hospital corridor.

Mira 做了一個可怕的惡夢，夢見自己在空無一人的醫院走廊裡被追趕。

常見搭配
  • a frightful scene
  • a frightful sight
  • a frightful scream
  • a frightful nightmare
  • frightful injuries
同義詞
  • terrifying

    stronger; emphasises active fear in the observer.

  • horrifying

    stresses shock and moral or physical revulsion.

  • ghastly

    literary, often about wounds, faces, or scenes of death.

反義詞

文法句型

a frightful + noun

be frightful

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: here 'frightful' carries its full literal weight — the noun it modifies actually frightens or horrifies people (a scene, scream, nightmare, sight), rather than being merely annoying or excessive. The two senses share a form, so context decides which reading the reader takes.

常見錯誤

Sora was frightful when the dog barked at him.
Sora was frightened when the dog barked at him.
'frightful' describes the thing that causes fear; 'frightened' describes the person who feels it.

同根字

常見搭配

名詞搭配

副詞搭配

  • absolutely frightful
  • really frightful
  • quite frightful

常用片語

  • what a frightful + noun
  • a frightful lot of