as in afraid
filled with fear or dread
at the sight of the grizzly bear he froze, being too scared to even run away
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in frightened
to strike with fear
thunderstorms have always scared her
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scared
Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 9 Mar. 2025
For people fresh out of school, my advice as a lawyer is, don’t be scared to seek counsel but above all, don’t be scared to ask for things.
—Joelle Diderich, WWD, 4 Mar. 2025
And people who are scared are less likely to want to stay here.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2025
Worried about your wallet, scared and alone in a gutter somewhere?
—Jessica Kanzler, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scared
Adjective
The morning after the wolf attack, Cara tries the soft approach with a very scared Elizabeth.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 9 Mar. 2025
For people fresh out of school, my advice as a lawyer is, don’t be scared to seek counsel but above all, don’t be scared to ask for things.
—Joelle Diderich, WWD, 4 Mar. 2025
And people who are scared are less likely to want to stay here.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2025
Worried about your wallet, scared and alone in a gutter somewhere?
—Jessica Kanzler, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scared
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scared
Adjective
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Inside the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, vital support staff are gone, international partnerships have been strained, and workers are afraid to discuss threats to democracy that they’re now prohibited from countering.—
Eric Geller,
WIRED,
13 Mar. 2025
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But remember to keep your calendar flexible and don’t be afraid to pivot.—
Sean McNally,
Outdoor Life,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Inside, the staff scrambles for cover and a frightened woman and child are seen hiding behind a buffet counter.—
Mark Price,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2025
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Staying apolitical in his work, Lynch expressed the personal idiosyncrasy that reflected his upbringing in Midwest America (born in Missoula, Mont., and of Finnish-Danish heritage) as well as his private, frightened knowledge of national terror.—
Armond White,
National Review,
17 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The movie sees the revival of arch-villain Feathers McGraw, who terrified kids in 1993’s The Wrong Trousers.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
23 Dec. 2024
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My Hugo would chase it and bark at it, or he'd be terrified.—
Benedict Cosgrove,
Newsweek,
20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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When Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead last month in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home, the community was shocked.—
Jay Stahl,
USA TODAY,
7 Mar. 2025
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Homeowner Sends Neighbor a Note — and Asks Them to Not Let Cats Look Out the Window The man was shocked to come home and find that one of his neighbors had left a note on his front door.—
Rachel Raposas,
People.com,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The first grooming session left her dog fearful and anxious, which is common among canines.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
Newsweek,
13 Mar. 2025
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Morale inside the agency has plummeted, and retirees are growing fearful that the system might start faltering in getting checks out.—
Shahar Ziv,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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In the wake of the environmental and women’s movements, citizen activists, mothers of children with birth defects and women with breast cancer became alarmed about the threat of cancer linked to pesticides or industrial pollutants.—
Amy Lauren Fairchild,
The Conversation,
11 Mar. 2025
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For others, the reaction may range from being confused, to downright alarmed.—
Oyku Ilgar,
Forbes,
25 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scared.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scared. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
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