scare

1 of 2

verb

scared; scaring

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
In their colorful garb, participants move to the sounds of drums and loud music meant to both honor the ancestors and scare away lingering spirits. Sasha C. Wells / Made By History, TIME, 26 Dec. 2024 Today in Colorado and across the West the boogeyman used to scare us into cutting down forests is the natural and essential process of wildfire. Josh Schlossberg, The Denver Post, 22 Dec. 2024
Noun
Buffalo Bills 24, New England Patriots 21: The Bills rallied in the second half to avoid an upset scare in cold Orchard Park, New York, against one of the NFL's worst teams. Jim Reineking, USA TODAY, 24 Dec. 2024 Despite health scares, Whibley has soldiered on to ensure the farewell tour continues as planned. Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 19 Dec. 2024 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

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

circa 1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of scare was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near scare

Cite this Entry

“Scare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scare. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on scare

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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