as in frightening
to strike with fear
thunderstorms have always scared her
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Recent Examples of scaring
Like, scaring kids is important.
—
Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
The former instantly adds a second layer of security against unwanted guests, and the latter emits an ultra-loud alarm while acting like a door stop wedge, scaring off any stranger who tries to enter your room.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 26 Oct. 2025
Actors dressed as sadistic guards and disturbed prisoners, jump-scaring visitors from the prison cells.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 26 Oct. 2025
The government must refinance without scaring off investors or triggering default.
—Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
Playing on parental fears, The Babadook has been scaring the daylights out of us for a solid decade now.
—Gwen Ihnat, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025
Or the bullpen coughing up an insurance run in the eighth inning, and last year’s hero, Luke Weaver, not even pitching because his season-long struggles had reached their nadir, scaring the Yankees away from using him.
—Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Advertisement Rather than scaring pregnant women away from medications, efforts to ensure high quality prenatal care, manage infections or environmental exposures, and support physical and mental health are key.
—Dr. Sunny Patel, Time, 2 Oct. 2025
The modus operandi generally involved either scaring a convenience store owner and fleeing with thousands of dollars worth of cigarettes, like one such incident at a 7-Eleven in Walnut Creek where masked men stole $8,000 in tobacco products, authorities said.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
The former instantly adds a second layer of security against unwanted guests, and the latter emits an ultra-loud alarm while acting like a door stop wedge, scaring off any stranger who tries to enter your room.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 26 Oct. 2025
Actors dressed as sadistic guards and disturbed prisoners, jump-scaring visitors from the prison cells.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 26 Oct. 2025
The government must refinance without scaring off investors or triggering default.
—Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
Playing on parental fears, The Babadook has been scaring the daylights out of us for a solid decade now.
—Gwen Ihnat, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025
Or the bullpen coughing up an insurance run in the eighth inning, and last year’s hero, Luke Weaver, not even pitching because his season-long struggles had reached their nadir, scaring the Yankees away from using him.
—Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Advertisement Rather than scaring pregnant women away from medications, efforts to ensure high quality prenatal care, manage infections or environmental exposures, and support physical and mental health are key.
—Dr. Sunny Patel, Time, 2 Oct. 2025
The modus operandi generally involved either scaring a convenience store owner and fleeing with thousands of dollars worth of cigarettes, like one such incident at a 7-Eleven in Walnut Creek where masked men stole $8,000 in tobacco products, authorities said.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scaring
Verb
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Kids will love sending this Dilophosaurus sauntering across the floor, frightening everything and everyone in his path.—
Pamela Brill,
Parents,
2 Oct. 2025
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Instances of swatting have been plaguing the nation for years, with fake shooting threats frightening the public and forcing schools, hospitals, grocery stores, office buildings, and airports into temporary lockdowns.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
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That should already be terrifying enough, regardless of what happens next.—
Benjamin VanHoose,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
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Through twisting corridors and multiple stories, guests encounter terrifying live actors, special effects, and nightmarish monsters.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In a follow-up video, the owner revealed a gentle method for waking the puppy without startling her.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Judging by overnight trading, the numbers aren’t quite spooking investors like Meta’s report did.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
31 Oct. 2025
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For that same time period, Meta reported rapidly growing costs due to its AI investments, spooking investors and sending its stock down 9 percent.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scaring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scaring. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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