Word: frighten

Associations

"Frighten" means to make someone feel scared or afraid. It is often used when something unexpected happens that causes fear.

• A loud noise can frighten a person. For example, if there's a sudden crash, someone might jump and feel scared.
• Watching a scary movie might frighten you, making your heart race and your palms sweat.
• A ghost story told around a campfire can frighten children and make them look around nervously.

The synonym "scare" can be used interchangeably with "frighten," but "frighten" often implies a more sudden or intense fear, while "scare" might be used for less serious situations. For example, telling a joke can scare someone, but it does not frighten them.

Substitution

You can replace "frighten" with words like "terrify," "alarm," or "startle." Each substitution carries a slightly different meaning:

• "Terrify" suggests a more extreme level of fear.
• "Alarm" can mean to frighten someone into action or alertness.
• "Startle" usually means to surprise someone suddenly, which may cause a quick fear response.

Deconstruction

The word "frighten" comes from the Old English "frēotan" meaning to get scared or afraid. The root "fright" is connected to feeling fear. The suffix “-en” means to cause a state. Thus, "frighten" literally means to cause fear in someone.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when you were frightened? What caused that feeling?
• Are there things that reliably frighten you?
• How do you think people react differently when they are frightened?