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
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
Chris ButtonExamples of jump scare in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There are a few fun jump scares — but little that chills or thrills.
—Anupama Chopra, HollywoodReporter, 2 July 2025
This one promises just enough pumpkin spice without the jump scares.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 June 2025
With brilliant sound design and perfectly-dosed jump scares, first time director Kim Soo-jin blends real-life anxieties with stark, supernatural elements to create genuine tension that never lets go.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 5 June 2025
Harker’s lonely investigations are often interrupted by jump scares courtesy of dark apparitions with the silhouettes of nesting dolls.
—Beatrice Loayza, Vulture, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for jump scare
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Anupama Chopra, HollywoodReporter, 2 July 2025
This one promises just enough pumpkin spice without the jump scares.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 June 2025
With brilliant sound design and perfectly-dosed jump scares, first time director Kim Soo-jin blends real-life anxieties with stark, supernatural elements to create genuine tension that never lets go.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 5 June 2025
Harker’s lonely investigations are often interrupted by jump scares courtesy of dark apparitions with the silhouettes of nesting dolls.
—Beatrice Loayza, Vulture, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for jump scare
Cite this Entry
“Jump scare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jump%20scare. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
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