Synonyms of scares

scares

verb

present tense third-person singular of scare

as in frightens

to strike with fear

thunderstorms have always scared her

Synonyms & Similar Words

• frightens
• terrifies
• startles
• spooks
• shocks
• horrifies
• frights
• terrorizes
• panics
• shakes
• alarms
• scarifies
• affrights
• gives one the creeps
• amazes
• appalls
• worries
• distracts
• dismays
• makes one's flesh creep
• jolts
• astounds
• awes
• shakes up
• unsettles
• daunts
• unnerves
• disturbs
• bowls over
• upsets
• disquiets
• emasculates
• distresses
• disconcerts
• perturbs
• floors
• dispirits
• demoralizes
• discomforts
• chills
• undoes
• unstrings
• psychs (out)
• unmans
• discomposes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reassures
• assures
• cheers
• comforts
• soothes
• encourages
• inspires
• consoles
• emboldens
• solaces
• heartens
• steels

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of scares

As horror franchises evolve across installments, there’s a natural tendency for the creatives behind them to overthink things and get a bit too lost in the sauce of mythos and worldbuilding and topping themselves with bigger, juicier scares. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 10 July 2026

What scares many of them is the loss of predictability, the sense of no longer recognizing their own reactions. — Dr. Sarah Berg, Time, 9 July 2026

Many suggested that Murray's desire for a massive extension scares them. — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 8 July 2026

Cruises have hit the headlines for this year, from Hantavirus scares to a norovirus outbreak that authorities in Bordeaux to deny anyone disembarkation from an Ambassador Cruise Line ship in May. — Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 6 July 2026

All that stuff scares me so much – Facebook or social media, Twitter, whatever. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 4 July 2026

While the prospect initially scares him, the front house manager ends up accepting and is last seen embarking on his first-ever flight. — Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 26 June 2026

Any loud sound just scares her terribly. — Gabriela Vidal, CBS News, 24 June 2026

Look directly at the thing that scares you. — Allbusiness, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026