scare

1 of 2

verb

scared; scaring
Synonyms of scarenext

transitive verb

: to frighten especially suddenly : alarm
scarer noun

scare

2 of 2

noun

1
: a sudden fright
2
: a widespread state of alarm : panic
scare adjective

Examples of scare in a Sentence

Verb You scared me. I didn't see you there. Stop that, you're scaring the children. Noun There have been scares about the water supply being contaminated. fired over their heads in order to throw a scare into them
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
Don’t let the Frito pie flavor scare you away — Salt & Straw ice cream is known for its richness, packed with as much butter-fat content as possible — similar to Melt. Ella Gonzales may 15, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2026 Over-regulating could scare more insurers away; under-regulating could inflate prices even more. Mercury News & East Bay Times Editorial Boards, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
Noun
Design software companies have been hit hard by the AI scare trade, as investors worry that AI will soon be able to handle creative tasks in minutes. Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 16 May 2026 Sal Reedus began documenting his weight-loss journey online after multiple life-threatening health scares due to his weight of 725 lbs. Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for scare

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English skerren, from Old Norse skirra, from skjarr shy, timid

First Known Use

Verb

12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of scare was in the 12th century

Cite this Entry

“Scare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scare. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

scare

1 of 2 verb
ˈske(ə)r How to pronounce scare (audio)
ˈska(ə)r
scared; scaring
1
: to frighten suddenly : alarm
2
: to become scared

scare

2 of 2 noun
1
: a sudden fright
2
: a widespread state of alarm : panic

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