SCARED Synonyms: 140 Similar and Opposite Words

scared 1 of 2

adjective

ˈskerd

Definition of scared

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

Playing happily one second, and too scared to be alone the next. — Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 5 July 2026 But having an awareness of how to mitigate the impact of falls, and developing the mentality not to be scared of falling, can be crucial to making a deep run at the slipperiest Slam. — Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 3 July 2026

Verb

Lendeborg being 24 when camp opens rightly scared away some of the rebuilding teams picking ahead of Golden State, especially in concert with his iffy outside shot. — John Hollinger, New York Times, 25 June 2026 Karma came walking up on Jamon Coleman one day with pistols in hand, the only kind of moment that ever scared his son. — Luca Evans, Denver Post, 21 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for scared

Recent Examples of Synonyms for scared

Adjective

Sometimes in big matches, being afraid of taking a risk is the riskiest strategy of all.

— Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
Pay attention to the wash and cut, and don’t be afraid to ditch your plain blue jeans for bolder alternatives.

— India Roby, Glamour, 15 July 2026

Definition of afraid

Verb

In those moments, what frightened her most was not her own safety but the knowledge that her husband was up there somewhere, flying in the same sky swarming with fighter planes dropping their bombs on Tehran.

— Mahsa Alimardani, Time, 6 July 2026
At the time of writing, as the Marine Traffic map shows, tanker traffic is barely moving through the Strait, and many ships, unable to obtain insurance or with their owners frightened at the level of risk involved, are refusing to advance.

— Ariel Cohen, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

Definition of frightened

Adjective

On the 14th floor, three of them broke into Ojeda’s apartment, handcuffed him in front of his terrified wife and son, and dragged him out, according to court documents and security video.

— Sebastian Rotella, ProPublica, 10 July 2026
Outrage continues to grow after a drone was reported stalking a terrified wild mustang on North Carolina’s northern Outer Banks.

— Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 2 July 2026

Definition of terrified

Verb

The owner was reportedly startled and dropped the leash before the two animals fought, DEEP officials said.

— Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 9 July 2026
Pochettino’s sources of American sports culture inspiration There were some aspects of American culture, and specifically American sports culture, that clearly startled Pochettino.

— Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 5 July 2026

Definition of startled

Adjective

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
The first police officer on the scene quickly ran back to the station for help, while neighbors calmed the horrified Lizzie.

— Sophia Zhang, Encyclopedia Britannica, 16 June 2026

Definition of horrified

Adjective

The first season ended with a big cliffhanger, in which Cooper emerged from a cocoon after a transformation to a shocked reaction though his appearance was not revealed.

— Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 13 July 2026
In Atlanta last week, Mohamed Salah and his Egypt team-mates walked out of the stadium in shocked silence.

— Oliver Kay, New York Times, 12 July 2026

Definition of shocked

Adjective

With many fearful for their safety as US bombs fell from Iran’s nighttime skies with no warning, there was far more open hostility on the street.

— Frederik Pleitgen, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
Neighbors feel less safe with ICE around The latest incident has angered the Latino community in Houston and has left others fearful.

— Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, NPR, 10 July 2026

Definition of fearful

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scare

scared

scared up

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“Scared.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scared. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of scared

adjective

verb

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