scare

1 of 2

verb

scared; scaring
Synonyms of scarenext

transitive verb

: to frighten especially suddenly : alarm
scarer noun

scare

2 of 2

noun

1
: a sudden fright
2
: a widespread state of alarm : panic
scare adjective

Examples of scare in a Sentence

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

First Known Use

Verb

12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of scare was in the 12th century

Cite this Entry

“Scare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scare. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

scare

1 of 2 verb
ˈske(ə)r How to pronounce scare (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on scare

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster