scared

adjective

ˈskerd 

: thrown into or being in a state of fear, fright, or panic

scared of snakes

scared to go out

Synonyms of scared

• afraid
• frightened
• terrified
• horrified
• shocked
• fearful

Examples of scared in a Sentence

I am really scared about speaking in front of the class.

He was scared that his mother wouldn't let him go to the movies with his friends.

She's scared to walk alone at night.

Recent Examples on the Web

The cheater is just as insecure, if not more, than the person who’s scared to get cheated on. — Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2026

Òdódó’s transformation from a naïve and scared young woman into a powerful and influential queen at the king’s court is both remarkable and realistic, and so is her complex relationship with her husband (and captor). — Literary Hub, 17 July 2026

Nick, who’s a year older than Charlie, struggles with anxiety over going away to university and is scared to be apart from Charlie. — Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026

Some nights, when he was stressed or scared, Jean would tell him stories. — Juliet Linderman, Fortune, 16 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing scared

• get scared
• scared/frightened the dickens
• scared stiff
• scared to death

Rhymes for scared

• compared
• declared
• despaired
• ensnared
• impaired
• prepared
• repaired
• unpaired
• unshared
• aired
• bared
• blared