as in frightening
to strike with fear
thunderstorms have always scared her
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Recent Examples of scaring
During the first phase, last spring, before DHS got the infusion of new money, Noem led a shock-and-awe campaign aimed mostly at scaring people into leaving.
—
Nick Miroff, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
At the time, local hunters blamed the Ping for scaring away game.
—Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 26 Mar. 2026
Send other things that are going to help improve the livelihood of everyday Memphians, instead of just scaring them back into the house.
—Cleve R. Wootson Jr. The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 25 Mar. 2026
In a story translated from Korean, a ghost aches with loneliness after scaring everyone away; in a story translated from Arabic, a midwife is called to aid with the birth of … something.
—Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 20 Mar. 2026
During the Revolutionary War, George Washington ordered troops to be inoculated against smallpox, which had ravaged the Continental Army and was scaring away recruits.
—Patricia Callahan, ProPublica, 19 Mar. 2026
Overbey was cautious, though, about not scaring parents.
—Emily Brindley
health Reporter, Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026
Lately, my anxiety has been keeping me up at night, scaring me away from windows, crowded places, public transportation and tall buildings, and causing excessive overthinking.
—Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026
Ten points to Gryffindor for Bree shooting and subsequently scaring the bear away.
—Lincee Ray, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Mar. 2026
Nick Miroff, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
At the time, local hunters blamed the Ping for scaring away game.
—Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 26 Mar. 2026
Send other things that are going to help improve the livelihood of everyday Memphians, instead of just scaring them back into the house.
—Cleve R. Wootson Jr. The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 25 Mar. 2026
In a story translated from Korean, a ghost aches with loneliness after scaring everyone away; in a story translated from Arabic, a midwife is called to aid with the birth of … something.
—Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 20 Mar. 2026
During the Revolutionary War, George Washington ordered troops to be inoculated against smallpox, which had ravaged the Continental Army and was scaring away recruits.
—Patricia Callahan, ProPublica, 19 Mar. 2026
Overbey was cautious, though, about not scaring parents.
—Emily Brindley
health Reporter, Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026
Lately, my anxiety has been keeping me up at night, scaring me away from windows, crowded places, public transportation and tall buildings, and causing excessive overthinking.
—Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026
Ten points to Gryffindor for Bree shooting and subsequently scaring the bear away.
—Lincee Ray, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scaring
Verb
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Clumsiness notwithstanding, bringing a criminal case against a journalist who was reporting on a protest is an authoritarian tactic—a means of frightening the press away from uncovering the truth.—
Quinta Jurecic,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
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But monks there complained that the slain king was walking around at night, frightening them with strange sounds.—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The air in the room changed immediately, terrifying little Liza.—
Elisabeth Garber-Paul,
Rolling Stone,
14 Mar. 2026
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Pic was written and directed by horror filmmaker Ian Tuason, and follows the host (Nina Kiri) of a popular paranormal podcast who becomes haunted by terrifying recordings mysteriously sent her way.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Trump is also expected to decry the Supreme Court ruling against his signature tariff policies and talk about his attempts to maneuver around that decision without depending on Congress or spooking financial markets.—
Will Weissert,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Feb. 2026
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The president is also expected to decry the Supreme Court ruling against his signature tariff policies and talk about his attempts to maneuver around that decision without depending on Congress or spooking financial markets.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Some cyclists sped by pretty quickly, startling us and our dog.—
Maura Fox,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
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Hauge called that startling, given that court filing fees alone cost just as much.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
4 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scaring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scaring. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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