jump scare
noun
variants
or less commonly jump-scare
or jumpscare
plural jump scares also jump-scares or jumpscares
: a scripted moment (as in a film or video game) intended to startle the audience
The biggest jolts in "The Omen" … come from conventionally staged jump scares, where a nasty image suddenly flashes on the screen accompanied by a startling sound effect.—
Li Wang
Li Wang… differentiates itself from other VR [=virtual reality] horror games by not resorting to cheap jump-scares, instead flexing its brilliant visuals to build an atmospheric sense of foreboding.—Chris Button
Chris ButtonExamples of jump scare in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And admit it: This jump scare totally scared the bejeezus out of you, right?
—Charlie Mason, TVLine, 28 Feb. 2025
The audience endures horror after horror, including jump scares (something Eggers previously declined to embrace).
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 20 Dec. 2024
Her presence provides the episode’s jump scare, adding to the menace of Irving’s dream.
—Jen Chaney, Vulture, 7 Feb. 2025
There are no big jump scares, the atmosphere is deliberately mundane, and the mood is more melancholic than terrifying.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 25 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for jump scare
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Charlie Mason, TVLine, 28 Feb. 2025
The audience endures horror after horror, including jump scares (something Eggers previously declined to embrace).
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 20 Dec. 2024
Her presence provides the episode’s jump scare, adding to the menace of Irving’s dream.
—Jen Chaney, Vulture, 7 Feb. 2025
There are no big jump scares, the atmosphere is deliberately mundane, and the mood is more melancholic than terrifying.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 25 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for jump scare
Articles Related to jump scare
Cite this Entry
“Jump scare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jump%20scare. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.
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