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

These mainstays offer hardworking actors seasonal jobs, but usually don’t allow for any real narrative besides jump scares and chainsaws. — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026

The trailer for the movie, which includes a particularly frightening jump scare from Chastain as Other Mommy, went viral online after playing in front of theatrical screenings. — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026

The director had rather surprisingly bragged that the film features around 50 jump scares, which works out to around one every two minutes. — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026

Trump said upon sighting CNN’s journalist-as-jump scare Kaitlan Collins. — Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 25 Sep. 2026

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