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frightful + noun
frightful 作定语，修饰名词。
We had a frightful storm last night.
昨晚我们经历了一场可怕的暴风雨。
令人恐惧的；骇人的
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
令人恐惧的；骇人的
causing great fear or horror; terrifying
We had a frightful storm last night.
昨晚我们经历了一场可怕的暴风雨。
充满令人恐惧之物的。
Full of something causing fright, whether
引起恐惧的
provoking horror; ; ; ; - Winston Churchill
程度或影响极大
extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact
极其痛苦的
extremely distressing
The noise from the construction site was frightful all morning.
建筑工地传来的噪音整个上午都令人恐惧。
AI contextual example
She had a frightful nightmare and woke up in a cold sweat.
她做了一个可怕的噩梦，醒来时一身冷汗。
AI contextual example
The road conditions were frightful during the storm, so we drove very slowly.
暴风雨中道路状况十分骇人，所以我们开得很慢。
AI contextual example
a frightful crime of decapitation
一桩可怕的斩首罪行
WordNet
frightful 作定语，修饰名词。
We had a frightful storm last night.
昨晚我们经历了一场可怕的暴风雨。
frightful 作表语，表示“极糟的”。
The traffic was frightful this morning.
今天早上的交通糟透了。
表示程度，相当于“如此可怕以至于”。
The movie was so frightful that I had to close my eyes.
那部电影太恐怖了，我不得不闭上眼睛。
Not this
The movie was frightful scary.
Use this
The movie was frightfully scary.
frightful是形容词，不能修饰形容词scary；应用副词frightfully。中文学习者常将形容词误用作副词。
Not this
I feel frightful when I watch horror movies.
Use this
I feel frightened when I watch horror movies.
frightful表示事物令人恐惧，而非人的感受；描述人感到害怕应用frightened。中文学习者常混淆这两个词。
Not this
The news is frightened.
Use this
The news is frightening.
frightened形容人感到害怕；frightening形容事物令人恐惧。中文学习者常混淆形容词的主动与被动意义。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
可怕的噪音
The construction site made a frightful noise all day.
建筑工地整天发出可怕的噪音。
可怕的经历
She described the accident as a frightful experience.
她把那次事故描述为一次可怕的经历。
极糟糕的天气
We stayed indoors because of the frightful weather.
因为天气极糟糕，我们待在室内。
一团糟；乱七八糟
His room was in a frightful mess.
他的房间乱成一团糟。
剧烈的头痛
I woke up with a frightful headache.
我醒来时头痛得厉害。
糟糕的状态；令人惊恐的状况
The old house was in a frightful state.
那座老房子状况糟透了。
极其无聊的人（或事）
The lecture was a frightful bore, and I struggled to stay awake.
这个讲座极其无聊，我努力保持清醒。
一团糟；极其混乱的局面
The kitchen was in a frightful mess after the party.
聚会之后，厨房里一团糟。
处于非常糟糕的状况（指身体、情绪或事物状态）
She was in a frightful state when she heard the news.
她听到这个消息时，情绪非常糟糕。
外面的天气真是糟透了，但炉火却让人如此愉快。
This famous line comes from the classic Christmas song 'Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!' and is often used to describe cold winter weather.
这句名句出自经典圣诞歌曲《Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!》，常用来形容寒冷的冬日天气。
发长 /aɪ/ 音 (如 high, light)
Same pattern, same sound
Use frightful naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
助记：联想 fright（恐惧）+ -ful（充满…的）→“充满恐惧的”，既指可怕，也指“极其”糟糕。这只是记忆联想，不是词源。
语域：mixed 常见场景：formal or literary writing、British casual speech (exaggeration) frightful 的语体取决于含义：表示“令人恐惧的”时多用于正式或文学描写；表示“极度的、极糟的”时比较常见于英式口语，带有夸张语气。整体上不属于中性词，选择时需注意语境。
与 frightful /ˈfraɪtfəl/ 押韵（结尾均为 /aɪtfəl/）的词有 spiteful、rightful、delightful、insightful。注意拼写相近但发音不同的词：frighten /ˈfraɪtən/ 同根但结尾不同；freight /freɪt/ 看起来像 fright，但元音是 /eɪ/，不是 /aɪ/。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.