scarier; scariest
1
: causing fright : alarming
a scary story
3
: feeling alarm or fright : frightened
Synonyms
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
New compounds on the market As states and the nation grapple with how to monitor hemp products like delta-8, new compounds are popping up, and with them new reports of unwanted highs and scary experiences.
—
Ashley Okwuosa, The Examination; Amy Yurkanin, Al.com; John Diedrich, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024
Commentary and opinions Sammy Roth: Changing our lives is scary.
—Defne Karabatur, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024
This story from the Wall Street Journal was fascinating—and, frankly, scary when elections are just a few months away.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2024
Though a positive test can be scary and bring up a lot of negative feelings, that history can make navigating the situation together worthwhile.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024
But never mind: In mere moments Civil War gives you its first unpleasant sequence, a stop at a gas station run by scary militia members.
—Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 12 Apr. 2024
The Blair Witch Project franchise will live on in a scary new installment.
—Benjamin Vanhoose, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
Acknowledged by many as an open secret in the tech industry, age discrimination was an especially scary risk with two young children at home to care for.
—Chelsey Glasson, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2024
As if the story itself isn’t scary enough, the 1984 film adaption, starring Peter Horton and Linda Hamilton, is sure to keep you out of any corn mazes for the foreseeable future.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
Ashley Okwuosa, The Examination; Amy Yurkanin, Al.com; John Diedrich, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024
Commentary and opinions Sammy Roth: Changing our lives is scary.
—Defne Karabatur, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024
This story from the Wall Street Journal was fascinating—and, frankly, scary when elections are just a few months away.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2024
Though a positive test can be scary and bring up a lot of negative feelings, that history can make navigating the situation together worthwhile.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024
But never mind: In mere moments Civil War gives you its first unpleasant sequence, a stop at a gas station run by scary militia members.
—Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 12 Apr. 2024
The Blair Witch Project franchise will live on in a scary new installment.
—Benjamin Vanhoose, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
Acknowledged by many as an open secret in the tech industry, age discrimination was an especially scary risk with two young children at home to care for.
—Chelsey Glasson, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2024
As if the story itself isn’t scary enough, the 1984 film adaption, starring Peter Horton and Linda Hamilton, is sure to keep you out of any corn mazes for the foreseeable future.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'scary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near scary
Cite this Entry
“Scary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scary. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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