as in to frighten
to strike with fear
thunderstorms have always scared her
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in fear
the emotion experienced in the presence or threat of danger
fired over their heads in order to throw a scare into them
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scare
Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 11 Feb. 2026
That scream likely scared off the man who showed no signs of backing off.
—Jermont Terry, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
Julian Givi, Washington Post, 9 Feb. 2026
The Warriors struggled with their long range shooting for much of the game before finally finding some touch early in the fourth quarter to put a scare in the home team before the Lakers pulled away for good.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scare
Verb
Announcing the otters' presence might encourage people to try to find the otters, which could scare them away, Riner explained.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 11 Feb. 2026
That scream likely scared off the man who showed no signs of backing off.
—Jermont Terry, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
Noun
But the backlash was strongest when audiences expected personal effort – a boss expressing sympathy after a tragedy, or a note sent to all staff members celebrating a colleague’s recovery from a health scare.
—Julian Givi, Washington Post, 9 Feb. 2026
The Warriors struggled with their long range shooting for much of the game before finally finding some touch early in the fourth quarter to put a scare in the home team before the Lakers pulled away for good.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scare
Verb
-
Konstantin, 4, a sociable boy, is often frightened by loud noises and guards, his parents said.—
Mike Hixenbaugh,
NBC news,
13 Feb. 2026
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Like the 1987 Kurt Vonnegut novel from which the restaurant took its name, Bluebeard encourages guests to drop their guard, surround themselves with other people and try something that frightens them a little.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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That sparked fears that AI tools could eat into existing companies’ business models and customer bases.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
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But the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti have also stoked fear that people who record or otherwise monitor federal immigration operations risk arrest.—
Kristen Taketa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Quote of the week Labour seem to be mystified and terrified of the bond market in equal proportions.—
Ian King,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Pearl asks Sam the changeling son, appropriately terrified by the terms of such salvation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The dueling anxieties have been brewing for months.—
Jeran Wittenstein,
Fortune,
15 Feb. 2026
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Remember that meaning can vary widely from person to person—for example, a dog can mean safety and loyalty to one person or fear and anxiety to another.—
Lisa Wong Macabasco,
Vogue,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Twyla Tharp’s ballet Push Comes to Shove, which premiered in 1976, startled and delighted audiences with its coy, self-referential humor, and its flirtation with popular dance styles such as jazz and tango.—
Sara Krolewski,
The Atlantic,
5 Feb. 2026
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After several chest compressions, Briana startled awake and cried.—
Jayme Fraser,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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His agent, in a panic, called our group’s director.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
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Shortly after the trip, Taylor testified before the City Council on the panic-button pilot, which ran in four city high schools through a purchase order issued by the NYPD for $19,860.—
Cayla Bamberger,
New York Daily News,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scare. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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