1
as in terrifying
causing fear
a scary movie that gave the child nightmares for weeks afterwards
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in timid
easily frightened
a scary horse who spooked and kicked at its own shadow
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in scared
filled with fear or dread
I got a little scary when I heard the noise in the basement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scary
Those who were born roughly between 1997 to 2012 have had to wrestle with a lot of scary stuff.
—
Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 7 June 2026
Back in 2011, Konami released an arcade game called Steel Chronicle, which had large mecha take down large scary monsters.
—Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
The future, meanwhile, is going to be scary for Marist’s opponents.
—Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2026
That may be the scarier part for San Antonio.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for scary
Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 7 June 2026
Back in 2011, Konami released an arcade game called Steel Chronicle, which had large mecha take down large scary monsters.
—Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
The future, meanwhile, is going to be scary for Marist’s opponents.
—Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2026
That may be the scarier part for San Antonio.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for scary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scary
Adjective
-
Inside the building, a terrifying hourslong ordeal was just beginning for those who couldn’t get out.—
Maria Aguilar Prieto,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
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Some things in life are fundamentally different in ways that no one ever realizes ahead of time, and the amazing feeling of G-forces in my butt, very like flying on the ground, was at once a 10/10 gratifying and terrifying experience.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
David Fine as Scorpius does an enormous amount of heavy lifting by injecting urgency and pathos, despite his character’s timid personality.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
4 June 2026
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Chances of Musk becoming the world’s first trillionaire were timid when the markets first opened on Kalshi.—
Ananya Chetia,
CNBC,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
Is this person happy, sad, scared?—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
8 June 2026
-
The clinic struggled to keep staff during the epidemic and the nurse was too scared to run it by herself, Dunn said.—
Imani Cruzen,
Twin Cities,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
The frightening encounter began several years ago when her daughter texted her from school complaining of pain just above her belly button.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
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Vampires, deadly disasters, and creeps are among those who help these frightening flicks scare the hell out of audiences.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 June 2026
Adjective
-
Coming down from the peak of the AIDS crisis, LGBTQ+ community members were fearful of coming out of the closet through the 1990s due to the ongoing stigma facing homosexuality.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
8 June 2026
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Pashinyan also repeatedly sought to soothe those fearful of severing ties with Russia, Armenia’s historical protector.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
Ridge Vineyards is rooted in tradition but not afraid to change with the times.—
Laura Ness,
Mercury News,
9 June 2026
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The main character, Holly, belongs to a group of people — or perhaps a generation — afraid that life is always happening somewhere else.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
The Cuban military, once a formidable expeditionary force during Cold War campaigns in Africa, now struggles with chronic fuel shortages, aging equipment, limited mobility and poor readiness, Pérez said.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2026
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The elder Jackson, one of Chicago’s most famous civil rights icons, died in February and left his formidable organization to his son Yusef.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
The entries never become frightened.—
Kate Casey,
Vanity Fair,
2 June 2026
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Fireworks set off without authorization in Rome reportedly triggered a mass stampede of frightened horses during a late-night rehearsal for Italy’s annual Republic Day parade, injuring multiple riders and animals.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scary. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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