scare

1 of 2

verb

scared; scaring

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
As a singer, few things scare me more than acid reflux. Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025 That means no brake checking, or hitting your brakes to scare the driver behind you. Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2025
Noun
Speaking at the Army’s UAS and Launched Effects Summit at Fort Rucker, Alabama, in August, the unnamed company allegedly revealed during a panel that their manned aerial craft was to blame for the scare across New Jersey’s skies, an attendee told The New York Post. Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2025 An ideal scenario for the remainder of the year would have the recent choppiness last a bit longer to qualify as a proper scare, skimming the froth off the speculative stuff and resetting expectations in a way that rebuilds investors' capacity to be surprised to the upside. Michael Santoli, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2025 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

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

circa 1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of scare was in the 13th century

Cite this Entry

“Scare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scare. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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