frightened

Everyday

1. Frightened means afraid or scared. tree →
2. Frightened is also the past form of «frighten», which means to make someone afraid. tree →

In the lessons

In feelings and everyday life, everyone feels frightened sometimes — of the dark, of thunder, of dogs, of new places; it helps to talk to a trusted adult. In safety, feeling frightened can be a warning sign that something is wrong, and you should get away and tell someone. In nature, frightened animals may run or bite, so leave them alone. In stories a frightened character often finds courage.

Examples

• I was frightened of the dark when I was little. tree →
• The loud thunder frightened the dog. tree →
• Don't be frightened; it's only the wind. tree →
• The frightened kitten hid under the bed. tree →
• She felt frightened when she got lost. tree →
• A frightened animal might bite. tree →
• He was frightened to tell anyone what had happened. tree →
• Lasse was frightened and began to cry. tree →

Note

Say «frightened of» something (frightened of spiders) or «frightened to» do something. Trap: «frightened» (how you feel) vs «frightening» (what makes you feel it): «The film was frightening; I was frightened.» Similar: scared, afraid, terrified (very frightened).