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.
The movie ended with a clear sequel hook, and the FNaF games have gone on for ages, so news of this sequel isn’t exactly a jump scare. Bethy Squires, Vulture, 11 Oct. 2025 Players are told to clear out a three-story apartment, but basic rifle bullets are bringing the walls down around you, with unknown enemies appearing like a jump scare. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2025 But amid the repetitive jump scares lies a thoroughly scary and satisfying concluding chapter to Stephen King’s classic story. Samantha Allen, Them., 7 Oct. 2025 The audio quality was crisp and robust, which is key to delivering jump scares. PC Magazine, 4 Oct. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jump scare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jump%20scare. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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