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Hideous vs Frightening - What's the difference?

hideous | frightening | Related terms |

Hideous is a related term of frightening.


As adjectives the difference between hideous and frightening

is that hideous is frightful; shocking; extremely ugly while frightening is causing fear; of capable of causing fear; scary.

As a verb frightening is

.

hideous

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Frightful; shocking; extremely ugly.
    • A piteous and hideous spectacle." .
  • Distressing or offensive to the ear; horrible.
  • * 1719 ,
    • He started up, growling at first, but finding his leg broken, fell down again; and then got upon three legs, and gave the most hideous roar that ever I heard.
  • Hateful; shocking.
    • Sure, you have some hideous matter to deliver. -

    Usage notes

    * Nouns to which "hideous" is often applied: monster, creature, man, face, thing, crime, form, death, aspect, spectacle, picture, roar, sound, manner, way, disease, mistake, shape, dress, fact, act, smile.

    Synonyms

    * frightful, ghastly, grim, grisly, grotesque, horrid, dreadful, terrible

    Derived terms

    * hideosity * hideously * hideousness

    frightening

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Causing fear; of capable of causing fear; scary.
    • The frightening scientist lived in an old shack.
  • (figuratively) Awful, terrible, very bad.

    • Synonyms

    *

    Verb

    (head)
    • The scientist was frightening the timid children.