scary

adjective

ˈsker-ē 

scarier; scariest

1

: causing fright : alarming

a scary story

2

: easily scared : timid

3

: feeling alarm or fright : frightened

scarily

ˈsker-ə-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of scary

• terrifying
• frightening
• formidable
• horrible
• terrible
• intimidating

Examples of scary in a Sentence

a scary movie that gave the child nightmares for weeks afterwards

a scary horse who spooked and kicked at its own shadow

Recent Examples on the Web

There were some scary moments at the nest earlier in the spring when viewers watched one of the eaglets, then just named USS 11, swallow a fishhook. — Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 22 June 2026

Exciting but scary findings During another of the key microplastics studies published so far, researchers at the University of Rhode Island tested mice that had been modified to include a gene, APOE4, linked to Alzheimer’s disease. — Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026

The show is warm and funny in the margins, and genuinely scary when the supernatural antics ramp up. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 21 June 2026

How to make the moment scary but watchable, disgusting but entrancing? — David Denby, New Yorker, 21 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for scary

• aerie
• airy
• arie
• barre
• cherry
• clary
• dairy
• eyrie
• faerie
• faery
• fairy
• ferry

Kids Definition

scary

adjective

ˈske(ə)r-ē 

ˈska(ə)r-

scarier; scariest

1

: causing fright : alarming

a scary movie

2

: easily scared : timid

3

: feeling alarm or fright : scared, frightened

scary feeling

scarily

-ə-lē 

adverb