scare away/off
phrasal verb
scared away/off; scaring away/off; scares away/off
: to cause (someone or something) to go away and stay away because of fear or because of possible trouble, difficulty, etc.
The dog scared the prowler away.
The noise scared off the birds.
Tourists have been scared off by the recent violence in the city.
Examples of scare away/off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The story follows Aaliyah James — she’s done with casual hookups and ready to find The One, but her family scoffs at the idea and implies that her larger-than-life personality (and curves) might scare away potential suitors.
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Emily St. Martin, Oc Register, 31 July 2025
One delay can scare off a buyer or cause second-guessing.
—Michael Gargiulo, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
Install deterrents: Motion-sensing lights and sprinklers can scare off mountain lions and keep them moving.
—Tina Chen, Mercury News, 25 July 2025
How robot coyotes work to scare off birds and animals
Enter the robot coyote.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for scare away/off
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Emily St. Martin, Oc Register, 31 July 2025
One delay can scare off a buyer or cause second-guessing.
—Michael Gargiulo, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
Install deterrents: Motion-sensing lights and sprinklers can scare off mountain lions and keep them moving.
—Tina Chen, Mercury News, 25 July 2025
How robot coyotes work to scare off birds and animals
Enter the robot coyote.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for scare away/off
Cite this Entry
“Scare away/off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scare%20away%2Foff. Accessed 26 Aug. 2025.
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