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
With its missing eye, the prop helped create a masterful jump scare in the film.
—R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Even the creaky visions that start to plague him, the terrifying nightmares (jump scares ahoy, and so many of them cheap) can’t dissuade Charles from taking up Anniston on the offer.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
Darkness was a recurring theme with a jump scare waiting in almost every one of the shadows.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 5 Sep. 2025
With this fourth movie, the Warren lore has been so thoroughly picked over, the tropes and rhythms now so ingrained, the jump scares routine at best.
—Katie Walsh, Chicago Tribune, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for jump scare
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.
R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Even the creaky visions that start to plague him, the terrifying nightmares (jump scares ahoy, and so many of them cheap) can’t dissuade Charles from taking up Anniston on the offer.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
Darkness was a recurring theme with a jump scare waiting in almost every one of the shadows.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 5 Sep. 2025
With this fourth movie, the Warren lore has been so thoroughly picked over, the tropes and rhythms now so ingrained, the jump scares routine at best.
—Katie Walsh, Chicago Tribune, 4 Sep. 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 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share