completely frightened

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "completely frightened" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe someone who is entirely or utterly scared or terrified in a given situation. Example: "When the thunderstorm hit, the children were completely frightened and ran to their parents for comfort."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

So I wouldn't say I was completely frightened, it was just like, wow, who would of thought that?

Vice

That was the moment she completely opened to me she was completely frightened and searching for some kind of support in me and I felt that this was a moment when I finally understood many things about their life.

Vice

"I was a completely frightened child, and she insisted that nothing should get in the way of me pursuing my creative interests.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

"So I think there are some lessons to learn from Latin America on the best way to restructure your debt without completely frightening off your investors". Despite its current woes, the EU remains the world's biggest economic bloc, accounting for around a quarter of global GDP.

BBC

"I was completely overwhelmed and I was frightened.

The New York Times

Frightened by European revolutions, Nicholas I became completely reactionary.

Encyclopedia Britannica

"Local people have mixed feelings about the bridge," says Jenna. "There are some who are too frightened to walk their dog over it, and avoid it completely.

Vice

The contention that treatment with these drugs 'makes' the diagnosis is frightening — and completely untrue".

The New Yorker

But campaigners to keep libraries in public hands have called the idea of moving libraries into pubs "frightening" and "completely crazy".

The Guardian

Due to the frequency of national terror attacks and military operations, most medical service providers and professional staff are already organized to function in cases of mass emergencies and have developed operational procedures for use in critical situations; however, for the immigrant workers, these situations are completely new, unfamiliar, and frightening.

Clinical interventions in aging

"Local people have mixed feelings about the bridge," says Jenna. "There are some who are too frightened to walk their dog over and it and avoid it completely.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "completely frightened" to emphasize the intensity of someone's fear, especially when contrasting it with a previous state or expectation. For example: 'He wasn't just nervous; he was "completely frightened" by the sudden darkness.'

Common error

Avoid using "completely frightened" in situations where a milder expression of fear would be more appropriate. Overusing intensifiers can make your writing sound melodramatic or insincere.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "completely frightened" functions as an adverb-adjective combination, where 'completely' modifies and intensifies the adjective 'frightened'. Ludwig AI affirms that is correct and usable. It describes a state of being fully and utterly scared.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

33%

Encyclopedias

32%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "completely frightened" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase that intensifies the adjective 'frightened', according to Ludwig AI. While relatively rare in occurrence, it serves to emphasize a strong feeling of fear. The phrase is most commonly found in news, scientific, and encyclopedic contexts. Alternatives like "utterly terrified" or "totally scared" can be used to express similar meanings. When using "completely frightened", ensure that the context warrants the intensity of the expression and avoid overuse to maintain credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

utterly terrified

This alternative suggests a very high level of fear, potentially more intense than "completely frightened".

absolutely terrified

Similar to 'utterly terrified', emphasizing the intensity of the fear.

wholly frightened

Emphasizes that the fear is all-encompassing.

thoroughly scared

This option suggests a deep and pervasive sense of fright.

extremely scared

Highlights the intensity of the fear using 'extremely'.

totally scared

This alternative is more informal and implies a general feeling of fear.

deeply afraid

This alternative suggests a profound feeling of fear.

entirely afraid

Uses 'afraid' instead of 'frightened', which is a simpler and more direct synonym.

genuinely frightened

Suggests that the fear is authentic and not feigned.

seriously scared

Indicates a significant level of fear.

FAQs

What does "completely frightened" mean?

The phrase "completely frightened" means to be entirely or utterly scared or terrified. It describes a state of intense fear.

What can I say instead of "completely frightened"?

You can use alternatives like "utterly terrified", "totally scared", or "absolutely terrified" depending on the context.

Is it redundant to say "completely frightened"?

While 'frightened' already implies a degree of fear, using 'completely' emphasizes the intensity and totality of the feeling. It's not necessarily redundant if the goal is to highlight the strength of the emotion.

How to use "completely frightened" in a sentence?

Example: "When the thunderstorm hit, the children were "completely frightened" and ran to their parents for comfort." You can replace "completely frightened" with similar alternatives to adjust the emphasis.