as in to frighten
to strike with fear
thunderstorms have always scared her
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in fear
the emotion experienced in the presence or threat of danger
fired over their heads in order to throw a scare into them
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scare
Mason Leath, ABC News, 2 Jan. 2026
The hikers scared the lion away by throwing rocks and then attended to the adult woman, the release said.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 2 Jan. 2026
Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025
Fortunately for that scare actor, flight, not flight, kicked in for Jones’ 300 pounds of NFL muscle.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scare
Verb
If lions are spotted, make noise to scare them from the area, hold objects overhead to appear bigger and start backing away from the animal.
—Noun
Stine keeps his scares fantastical.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for scare
Verb
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The Secretary of State called the event an attempt to frighten public servants.—
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But monks there complained that the slain king was walking around at night, frightening them with strange sounds.—
Noun
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A lot of people get drawn into the fear, distracted by the thoughts in their head.—
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Many immigrant customers haven’t returned, while five of his former employees, despite having working papers, left Charlotte permanently out of fear.—
Verb
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Hodges managed to hang on to his baton but then found himself on all fours, surrounded by the mob, terrified that he would soon be torn apart.—
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At another level, there does seem to be something absurd and even terrifying about the idea that someone who is not elected can become the leader of a country and then will be recognized as the leader of that country and receive the immunities afforded to heads of state.—
Noun
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Somehow, this new sensation emitted an awareness of the magnitude in which skateboarding would warp my life, which only ratcheted up the anxiety of blowing it.—
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The news this week that an ICE agent had shot and killed a woman in Minnesota heightened his anxiety.—
Verb
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Jamie, the dog-sitter, is startled that Pam is back so soon.—
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Hauge called that startling, given that court filing fees alone cost just as much.—
Noun
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Witnesses described scenes of panic as flames spread rapidly through the basement level before engulfing the upper floor.—
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Kaitlin spent the first weeks of her newborn son’s life in a panic.—
Cite this Entry
“Scare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scare. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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