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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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a scary movie
a scary thought
a terrifying thought
a horrifying thought
a frightening thought
a chilling thought
a horrible thought
scary stories
a scary time
a scary situation
a terrifying situation
a dangerous situation
a frightening situation
a bad situation
a crazy situation
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scary
My challenge was to make the sequel scarier, and darker.
—
Sweta Kaushal, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Two roads in Cape Girardeau buckled as Missouri experienced extreme heat over the weekend and a bystander happened to capture the scary moment on video.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 23 June 2025
Is 'Jaws' the scariest film of all time? Watch it once or hundreds of times and the scare seems fresh every time, says Dawn Keetley, editor of the journal Horror Studies and professor of English and film at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
—Marco Della Cava, USA Today, 19 June 2025
The cancer journey is complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you.
—Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for scary
Sweta Kaushal, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Two roads in Cape Girardeau buckled as Missouri experienced extreme heat over the weekend and a bystander happened to capture the scary moment on video.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 23 June 2025
Is 'Jaws' the scariest film of all time? Watch it once or hundreds of times and the scare seems fresh every time, says Dawn Keetley, editor of the journal Horror Studies and professor of English and film at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
—Marco Della Cava, USA Today, 19 June 2025
The cancer journey is complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you.
—Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for scary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scary
Adjective
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The terrifying moment that passengers were made to put on oxygen masks was captured on video.—
Latoya Gayle,
People.com,
1 July 2025
-
When the body of a young man is found eerily staged in the idyllic Scottish wilderness, detective Monica Kennedy fears this is just the beginning of a terrifying campaign that will strike the heart of a rural community.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
1 July 2025
Adjective
-
Although timid at first, Sarah has now let her personality shine.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
-
Putin played the timid souls of these make-America-weak policymakers like a violin.—
Steve Forbes,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
Adjective
-
All small business owners suffer financially when their employees are taken or too scared to come to work.—
Billal Rahman
Dan Gooding,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 2025
-
An officer said the man was dehydrated, confused and scared when he was rescued, according to WBZ.—
Jillian Frankel,
People.com,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
Moreover, if their environment is unpredictable, frightening, or volatile, some children learn that any disagreement could lead to danger and try to bury their feelings to avoid conflict and maintain a sense of peace.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Parents,
7 July 2025
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The great outdoors can be a big and frightening place, especially for cats who have only seen it from the safety of the great indoors.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
7 July 2025
Adjective
-
The restaurant industry — which has long maintained a status quo of hiring immigrants — is finding creative solutions to support fearful staff.—
Karla Marie Sanford,
Los Angeles Times,
30 June 2025
-
In Jewish Insider, Gabby Deutsch talks to the Democrats who are fearful about what the Mamdani win means.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
The premise is that America is caught in a bind between a political left that’s too afraid of growth and a political right that hates government investment and involvement.—
Scott Peters,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 July 2025
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The revelation helps explain why the giant snakes — which can grow to 18 feet in Florida — are not afraid to swallow creatures that are nearly equal in size, experts say.—
Mark Price
July 11,
Miami Herald,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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In short, because the Ukrainians have put up a formidable defense.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
9 July 2025
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Ichthyosaurs were aquatic reptiles that resembled dolphins and reigned as formidable predators in the oceans between 250 million and 90 million years ago.—
Sara Hashemi,
Smithsonian Magazine,
8 July 2025
Adjective
-
Audience noises at the NRG Stadium in Houston went from frightened gasps to applause as the descent was completed.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
29 June 2025
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Things were hectic in the mall, Stain, 45, said, with lots of frightened people running to the exits.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scary. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
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