Effrayant vs. terrifiant

In the French language, words that describe fear often have nuanced differences that can convey varying degrees of terror or scare. 'Effrayant' and 'terrifiant' are two such words. While they both can be translated as 'scary' or 'frightening' in English, they carry slightly different connotations in French.

Effrayant

This word is used to describe something that causes fear or alarm but is not necessarily overwhelming. It can be used for situations or things that are intimidating or somewhat frightening.
Le film était effrayant et je n'ai pas pu dormir après l'avoir vu.
(The movie was scary and I couldn't sleep after watching it.)
La façon dont le chat a sauté dans l'ombre était effrayant.
(The way the cat jumped into the shadow was frightening.)
Des histoires effrayantes racontées autour du feu de camp donnent des frissons.
(Scary stories told around the campfire give shivers.)

Terrifiant

'Terrifiant', on the other hand, means something is extremely frightening to the point of being terrifying or causing terror. It indicates a higher level of intensity and is used for situations or entities that inspire great fear.
L'accident de voiture était terrifiant à voir.
(The car accident was terrifying to witness.)
Une créature terrifiante apparaît dans mon cauchemar chaque nuit.
(A terrifying creature appears in my nightmare every night.)
L'idée de se perdre seul dans la forêt est terrifiante pour beaucoup de gens.
(The idea of getting lost alone in the forest is terrifying for many people.)

Summary

'Effrayant' and 'terrifiant' both relate to fear, but 'effrayant' is generally less intense, indicating something scary or frightening, whereas 'terrifiant' expresses a higher degree of fear and implies something is truly terrifying. Knowing which word to use depends on the context and severity of the situation being described.