frighteningadj.
/ˈfrʌɪt(ə)nɪŋ/ That frightens.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > fear > quality of inspiring fear > [adjective]
doubtousa1300
frightya1325
adoubtedc1330
carefulc1340
fearful1340
redoubted1385
doubtful1397
ydouted1399
redoubt1417
redoubtable1421
doubtablec1430
ferdly1440
doubtedc1485
formidable1508
flaited1565
aghasting1593
feared1599
flesh-amazing1679
frightsomea1689
effroyable1689
frightening1715
fearsome1768
fleysome1790
intimidatinga1812
fearable1886
scarifying1916
badass1955
bad-assed1962
superbad1970
1715 Bp. G. Burnet Hist. Reformation: 3rd Pt. 390 (note) I do not find there was any frightning Threatnings.
1849 F. W. Faber Jesus & Mary 202 And still the frightening echoes grow, As it goes sounding on.
1865 Englishman's Mag. Oct. 298 The number and variety of living things is positively frightening.
Derivatives
frighteningly adv.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > fear > quality of inspiring fear > [adverb]
frightilya1325
ferlyc1330
fearfully1526
frighteninglyc1854
fearsomely1876
scarifyingly1963
scarily1967
the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > high or intense degree > [adverb] > extremely or exceedingly
swithlyc888
micklelyeOE
swith971
hardOE
un-i-fohOE
sevenfoldlOE
unmeet?c1225
innerlyc1330
horribly1340
too1340
sore1474
horriblec1475
vehemently1483
outrageous1487
done?a1513
exquisite1529
strangely1532
exceeding1535
exceedingly1535
angardlyc1540
angerlyc1540
choicec1540
vengeable1542
vengeably?1550
extremelya1554
monstrous1569
thrice1579
amain1587
extremea1591
damnably1598
fellc1600
tyrannically1602
exquisitely1603
damnedly1607
preciously1607
damnablea1616
impensively1620
excellingly1621
main1632
fearful1634
vengeancelya1640
upsy1650
impensely1657
twadding1657
vastly1664
hideous1667
mainly1670
consumed1707
consumedly1707
outrageously1749
damned1757
nation1771
shockingly1777
deuced1779
darn1789
darned1807
felly1807
varsal1814
awful1816
awfy1816
frightfully1816
deucedly1819
dogged1819
awfully1820
gallowsa1823
shocking1831
tremendously1832
everlasting1833
terribly1833
fearfully1835
ripping1838
poison1840
thundering1853
frighteninglyc1854
raring1854
hell's own1863
goldarned1866
goddamned1870
doggone1871
acutely1872
whooping1874
stupidly1878
everlastingly1879
hideously1882
densely1883
storming1883
good and1885
thunderingly1885
crazy1887
tremendous1887
madly1888
goldarn1892
howling1895
murderously1916
rasted1919
goddam1921
bitchingly1923
Christly1923
bitching1929
falling-down1930
lousy1932
appallingly1937
stratospherically1941
Christ almighty1945
effing1945
focking1956
dagnab1961
drop-dead1980
hella1987
totes2006
c1854 F. W. Faber Divine Favours (hymn) v Why didst Thou come so frighteningly.
1906 W. J. Locke Beloved Vagabond xi The backward vista down the years is too frighteningly long.
1921 J. Galsworthy To Let i. ii She was frighteningly self-willed.
1922 A. S. M. Hutchinson This Freedom iv. i. 251 Her mother had scalded her hand and had cried out to her, frighteningly.
1952 E. Hobsbawm in Granta 15 Nov. Most of us—at any rate the frighteningly large number which gets into print—specialise in the tedium of telling you how mistaken we were about politics.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1972; most recently modified version published online March 2018).
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adj.1715