scared 1 of 2

adjective

ˈskerd How to pronounce scared (audio)
Definition of scarednext
as in afraid
filled with fear or dread at the sight of the grizzly bear he froze, being too scared to even run away

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

scared

2 of 2

verb

past tense of scare
as in frightened
to strike with fear thunderstorms have always scared her

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of scared
Adjective
Most of the world was fumbling and scared, and Fauci seemed to have some idea of what to do. — Amy Davidson Sorkin, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2026 The dog, named Roo, was not injured, just scared, according to the animal shelter. — Kat Filardi, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2026
Verb
By his own admission, his earliest stories and poems scared teachers. — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2026 What scared Josée wasn’t dying, but the uncertainty of when her pain would end. — Sai Rajagopal, STAT, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scared
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scared
  1. afraid
  2. frightened
  3. terrified
  4. startled
  5. horrified
  6. shocked
  7. fearful
Adjective
  • So my encouragement to young Latino artists out there is to keep creating and don’t be afraid of creating.
    — Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Not afraid of breaking tradition, Morgan and Jezzel decided to find their wedding gowns together and made eight salon visits in two weeks.
    — Shelby Wax, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of afraid
Verb
  • But what frightened me most was not death alone, but the idea of dying before my writings reached the world—that my story would disappear with me, and that my feelings, my memories, my identity, and my human experience would be erased.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Before signing off, the teenager thanks her — the exchange calmed her down after Google search results frightened her.
    — Jennifer Karlin, STAT, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of frightened
Adjective
  • During the attack, terrified students huddled together under their desks, sobbing as gunshots rang out nearby, video filmed inside a classroom and verified by CNN showed.
    — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
  • At a news conference, Twin Falls police released dramatic surveillance video that showed terrified employees diving for cover and shielding one another.
    — Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of terrified
Verb
  • The 10-episode first season (critics received six for review) opens in the early hours of the morning, when Anna is startled awake by a phone call.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Witness Hoon Chan Sim, 53, was sitting on a park lawn with his dog near West Drive when he was startled by the squeal of braking tires, and spun around to see the horrific collision.
    — Lincoln Anderson, New York Daily News, 25 July 2026
Definition of startled
Adjective
  • When Tae-ha starts a fire that erupts into an explosion, a horrified Eun-sae begins to remember her life before amnesia.
    — Kayti Burt, Time, 7 Aug. 2026
  • In one early scene, a horrified Pam stares into her bathroom mirror, covered head to toe in blood.
    — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 13 July 2026
Definition of horrified
Adjective
  • Shell-shocked, Daemon appears ready to woozily charge into his final battle, death with his sword swinging.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Owens immediately went after Balor and Gunther while Zayn stood in the ring shocked.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of shocked
Adjective
  • People leaders are increasingly fearful that AI is putting them out of a job, as the number of people working in employment services is down.
    — Kristin Stoller, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Even Haitians who have been naturalized or hold green cards are keeping a low profile, fearful of being caught in an immigration raid.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of fearful

Browse Nearby Words

scare
scared
scared up
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Cite this Entry

“Scared.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scared. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of scared for Spanish Speakers

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