effrayé
scare · scared · frightened
Definition & meaning
Effrayé is the masculine singular form of the French adjective effrayé, meaning frightened, scared, or afraid.
It describes someone or something experiencing fear, usually because of a danger, a disturbing event, or something unexpected.
- Il est effrayé par le bruit. — He is frightened by the noise.
- Un enfant effrayé s’est caché. — A frightened child hid.
It can also be used figuratively to mean alarmed or deeply concerned:
- Les investisseurs sont effrayés par la crise. — The investors are alarmed by the crisis.
The feminine form is effrayée, and the plural forms are effrayés and effrayées.
Grammar & Word origin
Effrayé is both:
- an adjective: un animal effrayé — a frightened animal
- the past participle of the verb effrayer , “to frighten” or “to scare”
It agrees in gender and number with the noun it describes:
- un homme effrayé — a frightened man
- une femme effrayée — a frightened woman
- des enfants effrayés — frightened children
The word comes from effroi , meaning “terror” or “fright,” ultimately related to an old French verb meaning “to disturb” or “to terrify.”
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms
- apeuré : scared or frightened; generally close in meaning to effrayé, often used for a temporary reaction.
- terrorisé : terrified; stronger than effrayé and suggests intense fear.
- épouvanté : horrified or terrified; often implies a very powerful or shocking fear.
- paniqué : panicked; emphasizes confusion or loss of control rather than fear alone.
- inquiet : worried or uneasy; usually less intense than effrayé and may concern a possible future problem.
Antonyms
- rassuré : reassured or relieved; describes someone whose fear has been reduced.
- calme : calm; indicates an absence of agitation or fear.
- confiant : confident; emphasizes belief that things will go well.
- courageux : courageous or brave; describes someone who faces danger without being overcome by fear.
Common phrases & collocations
- avoir l’air effrayé [?](vocabuo://word/avoir l’air effrayé) — to look frightened
- être effrayé par quelque chose [?](vocabuo://word/être effrayé par quelque chose) — to be frightened by something
- un regard effrayé [?](vocabuo://word/un regard effrayé) — a frightened look
- un visage effrayé [?](vocabuo://word/un visage effrayé) — a frightened face
- un animal effrayé [?](vocabuo://word/un animal effrayé) — a frightened animal
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Examples
Je suis effrayé par ce film.adjective
I am scared by this movie.
Les enfants effrayés ont appelé leur mère.adjective
The scared children called their mother.
Le chat effrayé se cache sous la table.adjective
The scared cat is hiding under the table.
Le chien semble effrayé par le tonnerre.adjective
The dog seems frightened by the thunder.
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