frightening
Loading your saved state.
frightening
Something that causes fear, shock, or great horror. It can also be used as an adverb to describe a high and disturbing degree.
Die Ergebnisse der Studie über die Umweltverschmutzung sind erschreckend.
The results of the study on environmental pollution are frightening.
'Erschreckend' is the present participle of the verb 'erschrecken' (to frighten). It describes something that actively causes fear or terror, meaning 'fear-inducing' or 'frightening'.
Er erzählte eine erschreckende Geschichte über Geister.
He told a frightening story about ghosts.
The word can stand before a noun as an adjective or be used as an adverb to intensify another adjective or a verb. As an adverb, it means 'to a shocking extent'.
Die Polizei fand eine erschreckende Menge an Beweisen.
The police found a frightening amount of evidence.
As an adverb, 'erschreckend' (frighteningly) is often combined with words that describe a scale, such as 'hoch' (high), 'niedrig' (low), 'viel' (much / a lot), 'wenig' (little), or 'schnell' (fast).
Er hat erschreckend wenig für die Prüfung gelernt.
He studied frighteningly little for the exam.
terrible
'schrecklich' and 'erschreckend' both describe something very negative. 'schrecklich' generally fits unpleasant, awful, or very bad things. It can also simply intensify something, for example 'schrecklich müde' (terribly tired). 'erschreckend' is used when something causes fear, shock, or serious concern. It is often about a surprisingly bad number or development. Learners may confuse the words because both sound strongly negative. As a practical rule: if something is simply very bad or unpleasant, 'schrecklich' fits better. If something really frightens or alarms you, 'erschreckend' is more precise.
Die Zahl der Unfälle auf dieser Straße ist erschreckend hoch.
The number of accidents on this road is frighteningly high.
Der Lärm im Nachbarhaus war gestern Abend schrecklich.
The noise in the house next door was terrible last night.