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