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

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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 Below, Entertainment Weekly has selected 25 of the scariest reads of all time, from homicidal yuppies and ravenous rats to a zombie apocalypse. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Nov. 2026 The scary movie is a safe place to feel what panic feels like without needing to survive it. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026 Some celebs went scary or sweet with their look, while others were all-out sexy. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 2 Nov. 2026 Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney make up the scariest QB-WR connection in America. — Sports Columnist, Austin American Statesman, 2 Nov. 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
  • The blistering one-way run is strangely terrifying from the near silent cockpit as the highway lamps flash past.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 11 Nov. 2026
  • In Lima, and especially in the regions, terrifying scenes unfolded outside hospitals, with sick people collapsing in the street due to the shortage of oxygen, one of the key tools for treating the virus.
    — Claudia Rebaza, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of terrifying
Adjective
  • In his eyes, most conventional medical practitioners are timid and overly literal-minded.
    — D. T. Max, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
  • But if El-Sayed and other progressives were to fall short, that could make Democrats more timid about being ambitious in the 2028 campaign and afterward.
    — Dylan Scott, Vox, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of timid
Adjective
  • Stiven said his wife feels scared and doesn't want to leave their home, but the couple wants to share what happened to her for one reason.
    — Dawn White, CBS News, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Otherwise the public realm will grow safer in exactly the wrong way — because people are too scared to use it.
    — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of scared
Adjective
  • The frightening part is that almost anyone can end up on the wrong side of these systems.
    — Edward Longe, Washington Post, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Sussman remembers the 1999 Glastonbury Festival as both frightening and unforgettable.
    — Maribeth Romslo, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of frightening
Adjective
  • The previous June, during a COVID wave in Moscow, his wife, Anna Matveeva, a photographer and a film editor, had caught the virus, and Zvyagintsev, who had a long-standing lung condition and was fearful of falling ill, went to stay in his office.
    — Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
  • For that reason, Corron cast his ballot for Ciscomani, fearful of what might happen if Democrats take control of Congress.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of fearful
Adjective
  • Haitians in South Florida who lost Temporary Protected Status have lost their jobs and are afraid to step outside.
    — Isvett Verde, Time, 10 Nov. 2026
  • And the chain’s workers weren’t afraid to call her out on mistakes.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of afraid
Adjective
  • Their pass defense is specifically interesting, allowing over 227 passing yards per game, even while boasting one of the most talented and formidable defensive backfields in the game.
    — Langston Wertz Jr, Charlotte Observer, 8 Nov. 2026
  • The formidable organization of Seminole County Democrats (aka the SemDems) was clearly a factor there.
    — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of formidable
Adjective
  • Defense challenges claims of disruption Sabatini sought to undermine the university’s account by distinguishing between students feeling frightened and actual interruptions to academic activities.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Trust is how that knowledge reaches the next child, and the next frightened mother.
    — Michelle A. Williams, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 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 13 Nov. 2026.

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