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
Living alongside the Vision Pro has almost become one big jump scare.
—Brenda Stolyar, WIRED, 20 Apr. 2024
The style of the film has proven massively influential as well: Tourneur was a pioneer of the jump scare, for one, creating a template that's since been copied by countless horror filmmakers.
—Katie Rife, EW.com, 19 Oct. 2023
Otherwise, Immaculate relies on jump scares to jolt audiences out of its slumber-inducing plot.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2024
At one point, there was even a jump scare, for some reason.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
Where the previous Christie adaptations felt by the book, Venice startles at every turn and isn't afraid of jump scares and genuine moments of horror.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 9 Sep. 2023
Buzzy titles from the film festival circuit are emerging as early Oscar contenders, while audiences shriek at Halloween's annual deluge of jump scares when not indulging in the summer's final splash of popcorn flicks.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 29 Sep. 2023
And the supernatural does show up, although Wise’s slow-burn approach means that the film is blessedly free from conventional jump scares.
—Katie Rife, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2024
The trailer promises a great deal of blood, jump scares and religious iconography.
—Jaden Thompson, Variety, 25 Jan. 2024
Brenda Stolyar, WIRED, 20 Apr. 2024
The style of the film has proven massively influential as well: Tourneur was a pioneer of the jump scare, for one, creating a template that's since been copied by countless horror filmmakers.
—Katie Rife, EW.com, 19 Oct. 2023
Otherwise, Immaculate relies on jump scares to jolt audiences out of its slumber-inducing plot.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2024
At one point, there was even a jump scare, for some reason.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
Where the previous Christie adaptations felt by the book, Venice startles at every turn and isn't afraid of jump scares and genuine moments of horror.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 9 Sep. 2023
Buzzy titles from the film festival circuit are emerging as early Oscar contenders, while audiences shriek at Halloween's annual deluge of jump scares when not indulging in the summer's final splash of popcorn flicks.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 29 Sep. 2023
And the supernatural does show up, although Wise’s slow-burn approach means that the film is blessedly free from conventional jump scares.
—Katie Rife, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2024
The trailer promises a great deal of blood, jump scares and religious iconography.
—Jaden Thompson, Variety, 25 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'jump scare.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Jump scare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jump%20scare. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
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