jump scare

noun

variants or less commonly jump-scare or jumpscare
plural jump scares also jump-scares or jumpscares
: a scripted moment (as in a film or video game) intended to startle the audience
The biggest jolts in "The Omen" … come from conventionally staged jump scares, where a nasty image suddenly flashes on the screen accompanied by a startling sound effect.Li Wang
… differentiates itself from other VR [=virtual reality] horror games by not resorting to cheap jump-scares, instead flexing its brilliant visuals to build an atmospheric sense of foreboding.Chris Button

Examples of jump scare in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Set appropriately inside the creepy, abandoned Sears department store, the carnival includes a bunch of ways to get your kicks, giggles and jump scares. Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2025 Yes, your little one might still encounter a creepy mask while out trick-or-treating, but Halloween doesn’t have to be all jump scares. Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 24 Sep. 2025 In a film filled with jump scares, the juxtaposition of laughs was genius. Amy Lindgren, Twin Cities, 20 Sep. 2025 With its missing eye, the prop helped create a masterful jump scare in the film. R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for jump scare

Word History

First Known Use

1986, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of jump scare was in 1986

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Cite this Entry

“Jump scare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jump%20scare. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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