scare

1 of 3

verb

ˈsker 

scared; scaring

transitive verb

: to frighten especially suddenly : alarm

intransitive verb

: to become scared

scarer noun

scare

2 of 3

noun (1)

1

: a sudden fright

2

: a widespread state of alarm : panic

scare adjective

scarer

3 of 3

noun (2)

scar·​er

ˈskerə(r), 

ˈska(a)r-

plural -s

: one that scares

rooks … haunted the newly sown fields, and rose in clouds at the scarers shout

—Adrian Bell

Synonyms of scare

Verb

• frighten
• terrify
• startle

Noun (1)

• fear
• anxiety
• fearfulness
• panic

Examples of scare in a Sentence

Verb

You scared me. I didn't see you there.

Stop that, you're scaring the children.

Noun (1)

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

Verb

The scam is basic — criminals contact seniors, scare them into giving up their savings, then direct victims to a local crypto ATM to pour cash into the machine. — Mike Ryan, Sun Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026

The good news is the team stayed positive after both injury scares. — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 24 Sep. 2026

Noun

This is unlikely to stop politicians from employing scare tactics, though. — Matt Calkins Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Seeing the houses fully-lit gives you a better idea of the layout and where the scares might come from, leaving you feeling more prepared to step inside at night for the full experience. — Tarah Chieffi, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English skerren, from Old Norse skirra, from skjarr shy, timid

First Known Use

Verb

12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun (1)

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing scare

• bomb scare
• frighten/scare the life out of
• jump scare
• scare away/off
• scare into
• scare quotes
• scare someone to death
• scare up

Rhymes for scare

• air
• ayre
• bahr
• bare
• blare
• care
• chair
• claire
• ere
• err
• eyre
• fair

Kids Definition

scare

1 of 2 verb

ˈske(ə)r 

ˈska(ə)r

scared; scaring

1

: to frighten suddenly : alarm

2

: to become scared

scare

2 of 2 noun

1

: a sudden fright

2

: a widespread state of alarm : panic