as in to frighten
to strike with fear
that foolish woman would be scarified by a mouse
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Recent Examples of scarify
Some will confine their mess to pixels, but surely others will scarify the walls and stain the floors.
—
Justin Davidson, Curbed, 23 Sep. 2021
And some on the platform feel free enough to verbally poke a pop star or scarify Spotify.
—Bill Hochberg, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2021
Justin Davidson, Curbed, 23 Sep. 2021
And some on the platform feel free enough to verbally poke a pop star or scarify Spotify.
—Bill Hochberg, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scarify
Verb
-
These political executions are a callous attempt by the authorities to frighten and silence an increasingly restive population no longer willing to accept their corrupt and oppressive rule.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Tens of millions of dollars have been spent to redefine reality and to convince our neighbors that this new age is something that should frighten them.—
TIME Video,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Still, the company faces the same existential headwinds that have scared other would-be moguls away from the news business.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Skinner has gone to back-to-back Cup Finals, but the volatility in his game probably scares decision-makers.—
Chris Johnston,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Everyone was terrified of Friedkin.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Trump is terrified of the midterms, of Republicans losing control of the House or the Senate or both.—
Chris Brennan,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
His ability to perceive her internal struggles startled the standup.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
10 Nov. 2025
-
The boy looked up mid-sob, startled.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scarify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scarify. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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