fright
Jolt of panic
Fright is a sudden, intense fear—the kind that makes you jump or gasp.
A fright is an instance of this: You gave me a fright!
The word often appears in set phrases: stage fright, take fright, frightened to death.
Something frightful inspires fear or, more loosely, is simply awful: frightful weather.
To look a fright is to look disheveled or ridiculous.
Emotional response to threat
- terrorExtreme, overwhelming fear
- dreadIntense anticipatory fear
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- apprehensionNervous anticipation of trouble
trepidation · panic · alarm · horror · unease · worry · nervousness · foreboding
Occupied by ghosts
- macabreDisturbing, death-obsessed
- eerieDisturbingly strange
- gothicDark, mysterious aesthetic
- spookyUnsettlingly strange
creepy · supernatural · chilling · gruesome · bloodcurdling · nightmare · darkness · sinister
Unexpected event causing astonishment
- scareCause sudden fright
- shockViolent sudden disturbance
- spookApparition or frighten
- ambushSurprise strike from concealment
jump scare · boo · prank · gotcha · sneak · sudden · unexpected · alarm
Apparition of the dead
- monsterFrightening imaginary creature
- vampireBlood-drinking undead creature
- zombieReanimated dead body
- werewolfShapeshifting wolf-person
demon · ghoul · specter · phantom · banshee · goblin · ogre · mummy
Clothing for portrayal
- maskFace-worn concealment
- haunted houseDwelling believed spirit-inhabited
- trick-or-treatHalloween candy solicitation
- jack-o-lanternCarved pumpkin with candle
scarecrow · cobwebs · candy · decoration · hayride · scream park
fear
Emotional response to threat
- terrorExtreme, overwhelming fear
- dreadIntense anticipatory fear
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
apprehension · trepidation · panic · alarm · horror · unease · worry · nervousness · foreboding · distress
startle
Frighten suddenly
scream · jump · freeze · recoil · flinch · shiver · quiver · bolt · stun · pale
haunted
Occupied by ghosts
spooky · creepy · supernatural · chilling · gruesome · bloodcurdling · nightmare · darkness · sinister · ghastly
surprise
Unexpected event causing astonishment
ambush · jump scare · boo · prank · gotcha · sneak · sudden · unexpected · alarm · wake
ghost
Apparition of the dead
- monsterFrightening imaginary creature
- vampireBlood-drinking undead creature
- zombieReanimated dead body
werewolf · demon · ghoul · specter · phantom · banshee · goblin · ogre · mummy · witch
costume
Clothing for portrayal
- maskFace-worn concealment
- haunted houseDwelling believed spirit-inhabited
- trick-or-treatHalloween candy solicitation
jack-o-lantern · scarecrow · cobwebs · candy · decoration · hayride · scream park
- close callsclose call, near miss, narrow escape, close shave, nick of time
- fear reactionsscream, scared, gasp, terrified, flinch
- panicpanic attack, alarm, terror, hysteria, freak out
- stress reactionspanic, fear, terror, horror, dread
- Fear Wordsterror, dread, horror, fearfulness, menace
- horrorshorror, dread, terror, dreadfulness, terribleness
frightcourage
Fortitude facing danger
bravery · fearlessness · boldness · valor · intrepidity
- stage frightFear of performing publicly
- fright wigComically disheveled hairpiece
- take frightBecome suddenly afraid
- fright festCelebration of scary entertainment
- night frightsAlarming episodes during sleep
- frighten the piss out ofScare very badly
frighten, frightening, frightened, frightful, frightens, frights, frightfully, frightfulness, fright-wigs