jump scare

noun

variants or less commonly jump-scare

ˈjəmp-ˌsker 

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

But Steven Spielberg’s first big hit wasn’t just notable for jump scares, screaming audiences, and huge box-office receipts. —Michael Martin, Architectural Digest, 23 June 2025

The moment in the movie that people can’t stop talking about is not one of the jump scares or gross-out shots. —Time, 16 Apr. 2025

There’s a bit of everything in there – some classics, some jump scares, all bangers! —Felicity Carter, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025

His work focuses on interpersonal struggles, not J-horror jump scares. —Blake Simons, IndieWire, 23 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1986, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for jump scare

• abwehr
• affair
• affaire
• airfare
• altair
• armchair
• aware
• beware
• bugbear
• carfare
• childcare
• compare