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.

Unlike traditional horror that mixes dark visuals with jump scares, in “Backrooms” the long hallways and blind corners are starkly lighted and terror builds slowly.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026

“Weapons” has something for everyone: jump scares for horrorphiles, nods to classics like “Rashomon” and “Magnolia” for film buffs, and more than a few laughs to leaven the tension.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 26, 2025

Original tale “Scarecrow: The Reaping,” which began at Universal Studios Florida, mixes in jump scares with more natural-seeming frights, such as the aforementioned simulated dust bowl.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 5, 2025

Ridley Scott’s first foray into this world operates like a claustrophobic thriller, plying stretches of unsettling quiet with jump scares within a labyrinth of sweating pipes, sweaty humans and darkness.

From Salon • Jul. 4, 2025

The title implies a contemplation of the horrors of grief, but if “Talk to Me” is any indication, there will be plenty of jump scares too.

From Los Angeles Times • May 16, 2025