scary

adjective

ˈsker-ē How to pronounce scary (audio)
Definition of scarynext
1
as in terrifying
causing fear a scary movie that gave the child nightmares for weeks afterwards

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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

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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 Pull out the potty From a child’s point of view, the towering height, gaping bowl, and roaring noise of a full-sized toilet can be scary. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026 In a scary moment in the fifth, Angels left fielder Wade Meckler was hit in the head by a 90-mph sinker from reliever Bryan King. — Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026 That felt vulnerable and exposing and scary and [like] the biggest creative swing of my life. — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 21 Aug. 2026 And there’s a lot of schools, and there’s a lot of kids, and there’s a lot of days that go by when not a single scary thing happens. — Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scary
  1. terrifying
  2. timid
  3. scared
  4. frightening
  5. fearful
  6. afraid
  7. formidable
  8. frightened
Adjective
  • Two Fort Worth school district students were placed on the wrong bus home this week, creating what one parent described as a terrifying situation.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The immersive doc captures the duality of an extreme lifestyle with the euphoric highs of intercepting a tornado to the terrifying lows of being overtaken by one inside their vehicle as Timmer pushes his mind and body to the limit.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of terrifying
Adjective
  • Conversely, timid or softened feedback delivered to struggling employees creates a false sense of security, signaling that there is no urgency to adjust course.
    — Luciana Paulise, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Knight was timid, and his interview was practiced, Becker said.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of timid
Adjective
  • Punk exploded in front of a handful of scared-to-death dirtsheet reporters who were out of their league, mimicking a helpless Tony Khan.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • She gets caught up in a custody battle over her son, Albee, who is autistic and obsessed with the ocean but scared of swimming.
    — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of scared
Adjective
  • The Freedom 250 Grand Prix circuit has proved to be a treacherous one, and that was highlighted in a frightening crash involving a pair of drivers early in the race.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • And because cognition is so closely tied to a person’s sense of competence and identity, those changes can be surprisingly frightening.
    — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of frightening
Adjective
  • The regime’s final refuge now lies in the self-deception of fearful nations that still believe accommodating aggression can secure a durable peace.
    — Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Residents in the Chinatown International District and Belltown, the pair write, are fearful of drug use and crime that has gone unaddressed.
    — Zachary Fletcher, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of fearful
Adjective
  • Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud spoke of community members, including children, who were afraid of the protesters coming to the city.
    — DeJanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Amanda takes off and sits on the grass, afraid this will happen to her.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of afraid
Adjective
  • Banks wrote this piece as an ensemble work, not as a showcase for his formidable instrumental prowess.
    — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
  • So does Kevin Reddington, the formidable defense attorney who is representing Clancy in her criminal trial, taking place in Plymouth, which is being live-streamed on the Internet and heavily covered on local news.
    — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of formidable
Adjective
  • Hilton’s sister, Barbara Giarraffa, frightened fans and TikTok moderators were among those who called authorities.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Parents at evacuation centers in the village said many children were afraid to return indoors and woke up frightened whenever aftershocks rattled the island.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of frightened

Browse Nearby Words

scars
scary
scat
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Cite this Entry

“Scary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scary. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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