scare away/off

phrasal verb

scared away/off; scaring away/off; scares away/off

: to cause (someone or something) to go away and stay away because of fear or because of possible trouble, difficulty, etc.

The dog scared the prowler away.

The noise scared off the birds.

Tourists have been scared off by the recent violence in the city.

Examples of scare away/off in a Sentence

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.

Just the sight of armed bodyguards near an executive is enough to scare away potential attackers. —

Nathan Bomey, Axios, 4 Dec. 2024 Incomplete due diligence: Failing to resolve issues or incomplete financial disclosures can scare off buyers or lead to complications later in the sale process. —

Reggie Young, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024 Your local police department’s parking lot should scare off anyone who intends to rob you. —

Kim Komando, Fox News, 27 Nov. 2024 Your local police department’s parking lot should scare off anyone who intends to rob you. 5. —

Kim Komando, USA TODAY, 21 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for scare away/off

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“Scare away/off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scare%20away%2Foff. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

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