Synonyms of scary

scary

adjective

ˈsker-ē 

1

as in terrifying

causing fear

a scary movie that gave the child nightmares for weeks afterwards

Synonyms & Similar Words

• terrifying
• frightening
• formidable
• horrible
• terrible
• intimidating
• alarming
• fearful
• dread
• shocking
• horrifying
• creepy
• eerie
• startling
• dreadful
• frightful
• gruesome
• ghastly
• fearsome
• troubling
• disturbing
• horrendous
• dire
• forbidding
• trying
• spine-chilling
• threatening
• hair-raising
• unnerving
• daunting
• direful
• redoubtable
• discouraging
• weird
• disconcerting
• disquieting
• demoralizing
• hideous
• perturbing
• distressing
• dismaying
• nightmarish
• awful
• grisly
• macabre
• appalling
• horrid
• monstrous
• bone-chilling
• atrocious

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reassuring
• comforting
• relaxing
• soothing
• calming
• inviting
• tranquilizing
• consoling
• nonthreatening
• quieting
• lulling
• pacifying
• nonintimidating

2

as in timid

easily frightened

a scary horse who spooked and kicked at its own shadow

Synonyms & Similar Words

• timid
• fearful
• shy
• scared
• terrified
• afraid
• timorous
• fearsome
• fainthearted
• mousy
• tremulous
• yellow
• panicked
• skittish
• startled
• spooky
• cowardly
• dastardly
• apprehensive
• unheroic
• pusillanimous
• craven
• gutless
• anxious
• nervous
• jumpy
• spooked
• alarmed
• panicky
• jittery
• horrified
• chicken
• spineless
• shocked
• chickenhearted
• unnerved
• milk-livered
• lily-livered
• chicken-livered
• poltroon
• terrorized
• panic-stricken

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• daring
• adventurous
• bold
• brave
• audacious
• courageous
• fearless
• hardy
• gutsy
• heroic
• confident
• venturesome
• dauntless
• dashing
• valiant
• intrepid
• undaunted
• stout
• gallant
• adventuresome
• stalwart
• venturous
• valorous
• assured
• unflinching
• determined
• firm
• game
• resolute
• greathearted
• plucky
• undeterred
• spirited
• stouthearted
• lionhearted
• spunky
• doughty
• unswerving
• self-assured
• self-confident
• mettlesome

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

• scared
• afraid
• frightened
• terrified
• horrified
• fearful
• shocked
• alarmed
• worried
• spooked
• aghast
• hysterical
• upset
• startled
• nervous
• panicked
• affrighted
• terrorized
• anxious
• apprehensive
• timid
• horror-struck
• appalled
• panicky
• disturbed
• fearsome
• timorous
• phobic
• shrinking
• fainthearted
• jumpy
• funky
• perturbed
• uneasy
• cautious
• tremulous
• agitated
• wary
• jittery
• disquieted
• shy
• careful
• intimidated
• disconcerted
• daunted
• coward
• panic-stricken
• unnerved
• chicken
• cowardly
• skittish
• dismayed
• cowed
• pusillanimous
• craven
• gutless
• unadventurous
• tremulant
• prudent
• heedful
• lily-livered

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fearless
• unafraid
• daring
• adventurous
• bold
• brave
• audacious
• spirited
• courageous
• gutsy
• spunky
• heroic
• plucky
• venturesome
• sure
• daredevil
• cool
• hardy
• dashing
• confident
• intrepid
• valiant
• stout
• adventuresome
• collected
• gallant
• composed
• venturous
• stalwart
• valorous
• sanguine
• unperturbed
• assured
• dauntless
• undaunted
• resolute
• stouthearted
• manful
• lionhearted

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of scary

France’s starting lineup is scary and their depth isn’t any less terrifying, and this is without Liverpool’s Hugo Ekitike who is currently sidelined through injury. — Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 4 July 2026

And that's a scary place to be with Carter's love woes and the cartel coming to town. — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 3 July 2026

Kurt's key takeaways The scary part here is how ordinary this can look. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026

As chief fireworks advisor for FidoAlert, Huffstetler knows how scary Fourth of July can be for animals. — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026