1
as in terrifying
causing fear
a scary movie that gave the child nightmares for weeks afterwards
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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 scary
The reward is a future that looks a lot less scary, and a present that once again looks like a legitimate title contender.
—
Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025
For those of us who encountered our scariest monsters in the darkness of a movie theatre, that’s something of an injustice in itself, but an injustice that the industry has long normalized.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2025
This is the time of year when people grab a spooky book, attend chilling events, or screen a scary movie.
—Felicia Faber, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Patty Estrada wants people to see cemeteries not as scary places full of ghosts and sadness, but as settings filled with love and dignity for family and friends who have passed.
—Regina Elling, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scary
Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025
For those of us who encountered our scariest monsters in the darkness of a movie theatre, that’s something of an injustice in itself, but an injustice that the industry has long normalized.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2025
This is the time of year when people grab a spooky book, attend chilling events, or screen a scary movie.
—Felicia Faber, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Patty Estrada wants people to see cemeteries not as scary places full of ghosts and sadness, but as settings filled with love and dignity for family and friends who have passed.
—Regina Elling, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scary
Adjective
-
Kim's direction is bold and stylish, and the supernatural scenes are terrifying, embodying the finest that Korean horror has to offer.—
Katie Rife,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Oct. 2025
-
By the time it was all set up, the whole cold, disintegrating place was threaded with lights and lines, flickering everywhere, black and red, the sheer quantity somehow terrifying and embracing at once.—
Blair Braverman,
Outside,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Johnson looked timid, unsure against the Warriors, and his shot reflected the lack of confidence.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
24 Oct. 2025
-
The students and scholars nurtured in this ancient way will not be timid.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
In the past, many manga and anime publishers were scared to work with Hollywood.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Oct. 2025
-
There is no reason for this team, when playing complementary football, to be scared of anyone.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Much of the film rests on a razor's edge between funny and frightening, which makes its twists and turns all the more surprising.—
Katie Rife,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Oct. 2025
-
In the premiere’s early minutes, a young woman on a mission falls prey to a vampire and his frightening creatures known as revenants, sparking Helen’s decision to bring Guy into the fold.—
Abbey White,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The result is a more intimate glimpse into the exorcism genre, putting the viewer right in the room with the fearful action.—
Michael Lee Simpson,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Oct. 2025
-
That’s not to say Felker-Martin isn’t empathetic towards people with that mindset; after all, Ellen is partly a shadow of her younger, more fearful self.—
Samantha Riedel,
Them.,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Tessa Kluetz Pernell designs interiors that aren’t afraid to make a bold statement.—
Elizabeth Stamp,
Architectural Digest,
3 Nov. 2025
-
The Rings of Power, but those are based on proven IP, at a moment when the industry seems afraid to spend big on anything but brand names.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Mesidor has formed a formidable one-two punch on the Hurricanes’ defensive line with Rueben Bain Jr.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Jazz In recent years, the pianist Vijay Iyer and the drummer Tyshawn Sorey, defining composers and leaders of contemporary jazz, have become one of its most formidable pairings.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Sometimes, a frightened reaction is inexplicable.—
The Atlantic Culture Desk,
The Atlantic,
29 Oct. 2025
-
The Japanese had cyclotrons but no nuclear lobby driven by frightened, concerned, or ambitious scientists.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scary. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share