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
The director makes even that overused modern horror trope, the jump scare, truly shocking, not just something to be instantly laughed off.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Dec. 2024
Another person shared on X a glimpse into the game, which shows Piglet wandering through an empty mansion that seems rife for jump scares.
—Kalhan Rosenblatt, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024
The title signals the jump scare that the image maker hoped would likewise amaze the viewer when the 3D ghost loomed before their very eyes.
—Andrea Kaston Tange, The Conversation, 22 Oct. 2024
Its story beats haven’t changed much, retaining the white-knuckle jump scares and looming dread of the original.
—Aimee Hart, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for jump scare 
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David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Dec. 2024
Another person shared on X a glimpse into the game, which shows Piglet wandering through an empty mansion that seems rife for jump scares.
—Kalhan Rosenblatt, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024
The title signals the jump scare that the image maker hoped would likewise amaze the viewer when the 3D ghost loomed before their very eyes.
—Andrea Kaston Tange, The Conversation, 22 Oct. 2024
Its story beats haven’t changed much, retaining the white-knuckle jump scares and looming dread of the original.
—Aimee Hart, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for jump scare
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Dictionary Entries Near jump scare
Cite this Entry
“Jump scare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jump%20scare. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
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