Finesentence

Frightfully Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

😱
Save

frightfully

fright-ful-ly

🇺🇸 /ˈfɹaɪtfəɫi/ · 🇬🇧 /fɹˈaɪtfəli/

Definition

Context #1 | Adverb

used to describe something that is very frightening or scary

In a very frightening or scary manner; extremely

Examples of usage

  • She looked at him frightfully.
  • The sound was frightfully loud.
  • The movie was frightfully realistic.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Quick facts about “frightfully”

Frightfully is a 3-syllable adverb (fright-ful-ly). It is pronounced /ˈfɹaɪtfəɫi/ in American English and /fɹˈaɪtfəli/ in British English. On finesentence.com it has 1 meaning and translations into 21 languages. It ranks #24,636 among the most common English words.

Origin of 'frightfully'

The adverb 'frightfully' is derived from the adjective 'frightful', which dates back to the late 14th century in Middle English. The word 'frightful' combines 'frighten' with the suffix '-ful', indicating 'full of' or 'characterized by'. Over time, 'frightfully' has evolved to describe something extremely frightening or scary.

See also: fright, frighten, frightened, frightening, frightful.

Rhymes

Frightfully rhymes with rightfully and delightfully.

See all rhymes →

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #24,636, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.