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Prepositions after adjectives

Frightened of, by, out, for or about?

Frightened is most commonly followed by of for fears and by for causes. About and for are also possible in specific meanings. Out is usually part of the phrase frightened out of.

Quick answer

Which preposition goes with frightened?

Use frightened of something or someone to describe fear. Use frightened by to name the thing causing the fear. Frightened about means worried about something, and frightened for means worried for another person. Out is not normally used directly after frightened, but frightened out of is idiomatic.

She is frightened of dogs.
The children were frightened by the thunder.
I'm frightened about the exam results.
They were frightened for their son.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
frightened of + thing/person

Expressing fear of something

Use frightened of for the object or situation that causes fear.

He's frightened of spiders.
Many children are frightened of the dark.
2
frightened by + cause

Naming the cause of fear

Use frightened by when focusing on what created the fear reaction.

We were frightened by the loud explosion.
She looked frightened by his sudden shout.
3
frightened about + situation

Being worried about something

Frightened about often means anxious or worried about a future event or problem.

He's frightened about losing his job.
I'm frightened about what may happen next.
4
frightened for + person

Feeling fear for someone else's safety

Use frightened for when you fear that another person may be harmed.

She was frightened for her children.
We felt frightened for the missing hikers.
5
frightened out of + activity

Causing someone to stop doing something

Frightened out is normally part of the phrase frightened out of.

He was frightened out of investing again.
The accident frightened her out of driving at night.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
frightened of
She's frightened of heights.
afraid of something
frightened by
They were frightened by the noise.
showing the cause of fear
frightened about
I'm frightened about the interview.
worried or anxious about something
frightened for
We were frightened for the child.
afraid something bad may happen to someone
frightened out of
The experience frightened him out of flying.
caused someone to stop doing something

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using frightened out without of

Out is not normally used alone after frightened.

✕ She was frightened out the room. ✓ She was frightened out of the room.

Confusing of and for

Frightened of expresses your own fear. Frightened for expresses fear for another person.

✕ I'm frightened for snakes. ✓ I'm frightened of snakes.

Using by for general fears

By usually names a direct cause, not a general fear.

✕ He's frightened by spiders. ✓ He's frightened of spiders.

Using about for physical causes

About usually refers to worries or concerns, not immediate causes of fear.

✕ They were frightened about the explosion. ✓ They were frightened by the explosion.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. She is frightened ___ flying.
2. We were frightened ___ the sudden noise.
3. His parents are frightened ___ him after the accident.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I say frightened about?

Yes. Frightened about is used for worries and anxieties, especially about future situations.

What is the difference between frightened of and frightened by?

Frightened of refers to the thing you fear in general. Frightened by highlights the thing that caused the fear reaction.

Is frightened out correct?

Usually the idiomatic form is frightened out of something, meaning forced or scared into stopping an activity.

face-to-face-with-in-at-for, to "fair to" or "fair in"? faithful to, in, of, with or for? falling of, in, out, into or off? "false in" or "false to"? famed for, as, in or throughout? familiar with, to, from or in? famous for, in, of, by or as? fanatical about, in, as, for or of? "fantastic for" or "fantastic in"? far from, in, to, for or with? fascinating to, about, in, for or as?

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