SCARES Synonyms: 60 Similar and Opposite Words

scares

verb

present tense third-person singular of scare

as in frightens

to strike with fear thunderstorms have always scared her

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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 scares What scares me is to see so many people traveling so fast with electric power and with, presumably, no training! — Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026 The protective gear that the firefighters are wearing also scares him. — Julie Dobrow, The Conversation, 8 Sep. 2026 One scares the holy heck out of daughter Bela (Arabella Olivia Clark). — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 2 Sep. 2026 Fly fishing taught me that forcing the outcome usually scares it away. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026 The unpredictable motion scares them off, startling them and throwing them off balance. — Molly Burford, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2026 Writer-director Jacob Chase is uniquely qualified to distill what really scares audiences. — William Earl, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026 The exposure obviously scares him, but not enough to stop him from filming his next scene, where he’s been tasked with breaking in newcomer Cami Soul. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026 Don’t be afraid to volunteer for a responsibility that scares you a little. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for scares

Verb

The prospect of Sean Steur or Lewis Hall — whose contract situation Wilson refused to be drawn on, despite being asked three times — leaving is not something which frightens the hierarchy.

— Chris Waugh, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Penelope, too, is asked to occupy a landscape that frightens her, not only as a neurodivergent child in a neurotypical culture, but as a child now situated in an adult world.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of frightens

Verb

Black Palace is set in 1888 London as an emerging tabloid media terrifies the public with lurid stories of infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper.

— Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2026
What terrifies you about this moment and inspires you about this moment?

— Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of terrifies

Verb

Missile warning startles Dubai Earlier on Friday, a missile warning in the United Arab Emirates caused by a technical glitch underscored the ongoing tensions in the region, following the attack on the cargo vessel and Israeli strikes in Lebanon over the past few days.

— Collin Binkley, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026
The combination of flashing light and movement startles them.

— Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 11 June 2026

Definition of startles

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scared up

scares

scares up

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“Scares.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scares. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of scares

verb

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