Synonyms and antonyms of To make someone afraid or frightened in British Thesaurus

frighten (verb)

to make someone feel afraid, especially suddenly

alarm (verb)

to make someone frightened or worried that something unpleasant or dangerous might happen

scare (verb)

to make someone feel frightened or worried

terrify (verb)

to make someone very frightened

panic (verb)

to make someone feel great fear or worry so that they cannot think clearly or decide what to do

chill (verb)

to make someone feel extremely frightened or worried

shake up ()

to upset or frighten someone by shocking or surprising them

intimidate (verb)

to deliberately make someone feel frightened, especially so that they will do what you want

startle (verb)

to make a person or animal feel suddenly frightened or surprised by doing something that they do not expect

frighten/scare the wits out of someone ()

to make someone feel extremely frightened

bother (verb)

to frighten someone, for example by following them around or trying to talk to them

bully (verb)

to frighten or hurt someone who is smaller or weaker than you

cow (verb)

to make someone do what you want by frightening them

curl your hair/make your hair curl ()

to make you feel very upset or frightened

disturb (verb)

to frighten wild animals or birds so that they run away

frighten (verb)

to persuade someone to do or not do something by making them feel afraid

frighten away/off ()

to make a person or animal so afraid that they run away

frighten/scare/beat/kick the hell out of someone ()

to frighten or hurt someone very badly

frighten the life out of someone/frighten someone to death ()

to make someone feel extremely afraid or nervous

gang up on ()

to join together in a group to hurt, frighten, or fight someone

give someone the creeps ()

to make someone feel nervous or frightened

give someone the fright of their life ()

to make someone suddenly feel extremely afraid

give someone the shivers ()

to make someone feel very frightened or disgusted

intimidate (verb)

to frighten someone or make them feel nervous

make someone’s blood run/turn/go cold ()

to make someone feel suddenly very frightened or worried

make someone’s flesh crawl/creep ()

to make someone feel afraid or disgusted

make someone’s hair stand on end ()

to make someone feel very frightened

make your blood curdle ()

to shock or frighten you very much

make your skin/flesh crawl ()

to give you a very unpleasant and slightly frightened feeling

paralyse (verb)

to make someone temporarily unable to think or behave normally, especially by frightening them

petrify (verb)

to frighten someone so much that they cannot move or decide what to do

put someone to flight ()

to make someone run away or try to escape

put the fear of God into someone ()

to make someone feel very frightened

put the frighteners on someone ()

to threaten someone in order to make them do something

put the wind up someone ()

to make someone feel nervous or frightened

rock (verb)

mainly journalism to shock, surprise, or frighten someone

scare away ()

to make someone feel so frightened or worried that they do not do something that they had planned to do

scare away ()

to make someone so frightened that they run away

scare/frighten the (living) daylights out of someone (informal)

informal to make someone suddenly feel very frightened

scare into ()

to make someone feel so worried or frightened that they do something

scare someone witless ()

to make someone feel very frightened

send shivers (up and) down your spine ()

to make you feel suddenly frightened or excited

send shivers up/down someone’s spine ()

to make someone feel very frightened or excited

shake (verb)

to frighten someone, or to cause them to feel strong emotions

sow fear/doubt/confusion etc ()

to make people feel afraid, doubtful, confused etc

spook (verb)

informal to make someone suddenly feel frightened or nervous

stab (verb)

if someone’s words stab you, they make you feel suddenly very sad or afraid

strike fear/terror/a chill into /someone/someone’s heart ()

to produce feelings of fear in someone

terrorise ()

a British spelling of terrorize

terrorize (verb)

to frighten people by threatening them or by using violence

traumatise ()

a British spelling of traumatize

traumatize (verb)

to make someone feel very upset, afraid, or shocked

unnerve (verb)

to make someone nervous or frightened