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Synonyms

scary

American  
[skair-ee] / ˈskɛər i /

adjective

scarier, scariest

  1. causing fright or alarm.

  2. easily frightened; timid.

scary British  
/ ˈskɛərɪ /

adjective

  1. causing fear or alarm; frightening

  2. easily roused to fear; timid

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of scary

First recorded in 1575–85; scare + -y 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Not at one with the Alpine car, and a scary moment slowing heavily into Spoon Curve causing Ollie Bearman's 50G crash is a stark reminder of the safety measures implemented in today's Formula 1.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

Horror movies need to be scary but relevant.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026

“It’s uncomfortable to go counterculture, and if you have the whole industry being against something, it can be scary to be a little more public,” Shulman says, sipping his green juice.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026

“This is a scary time in history,” said Mendez.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026

It was about a scary house and these scratching noises and...a ghost!

From "The World According to Humphrey" by Betty G. Birney

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.