Verb
You scared me. I didn't see you there.
Stop that, you're scaring the children. Noun
There have been scares about the water supply being contaminated.
fired over their heads in order to throw a scare into them
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
Send other things that are going to help improve the livelihood of everyday Memphians, instead of just scaring them back into the house.—Cleve R. Wootson Jr. The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 25 Mar. 2026 And Iran wouldn’t have to use its diminished capabilities very often to scare investors.—Jason Ma, Fortune, 23 Mar. 2026
Noun
That intimate setup suits the candid subject matter of the new record, whose incubation—and attendant health scare—is among the topics explored in Philip Sherburne’s recent profile, Bill Callahan Laughs at Death.—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 24 Mar. 2026 Last year, the legendary singer’s health scare derailed his tour and forced him off the stage.—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 24 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scare
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English skerren, from Old Norse skirra, from skjarr shy, timid