Synonyms for scare
- verb
- noun
Definitions
- v. 1
To frighten, terrify, startle, especially in a minor way.
Did it scare you when I said "Boo!"?
- v. 2
(To be able) to be scared.
- n. 1
A minor fright.
Johnny had a bad scare last night.
Related words
Choose the right word
To scare is to cause sudden, unnerving fear; to terrify is to awaken fear that is overwhelming.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- intimidate They tried to intimidate Muslim students on the campus.
- frighten I doubt very seriously that that will frighten Tom.
- terrify The story used to really terrify Michael as a kid.
- startle Ziri doesn't want to startle that spider.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| scare | rising | |
| intimidate | rising | |
| frighten | rising | |
| terrify | rising | |
| startle | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 3 letters
- cow1
- 4 letters
- dash1, pall1
- 5 letters
- alarm2, panic2, grill1, deter2, daunt1, appal
- 6 letters
- terror2, dismay2, fright1, appall2
- 7 letters
- terrify3, startle2, petrify3
- 8 letters
- frighten2, affright
- 9 letters
- terrorize3, terrorise
- 10 letters
- intimidate4
- 13 letters
- consternation4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (alarm2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- faire peur