scared

[ skaird ]

/ skɛərd /

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See synonyms for scared on Thesaurus.com

adjective

filled with fear, terror, or dread, often suddenly; frightened; alarmed:The doctor provided not only physical treatment but also moral guidance for scared patients with terminal diagnoses.I came into college as a scared freshman and left as a confident, competent adult.

verb

the simple past tense and past participle of scare.

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ALL IN FAVO(U)R OF THIS BRITISH VS. AMERICAN ENGLISH QUIZ

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True or false? British English and American English are only different when it comes to slang words.

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Origin of scared

scare + -ed²

OTHER WORDS FROM scared

un·scared, adjective

Words nearby scared

scarcely ever, scarcement, scarcity, scare, scarecrow, scared, scaredy-cat, scarehead, scaremonger, scare out of one's wits, scare quotes

How to use scared in a sentence

Some of the episodes are better than others, but the decision to avoid jump scares and focus on human emotions really works here.
This Weekend: Escape This Messy World With a Memoir|Joshua Eferighe|November 6, 2020|Ozy
A poll from a key race this week gave Democrats a bit of a scare.
The surprisingly close Michigan Senate race, explained|Andrew Prokop|October 16, 2020|Vox
Ruth Bader Ginsberg is 87 years old with recent health scares, and Justice Stephen Breyer is 82.
Vote for Biden (duh)|Kevin Naff|September 10, 2020|Washington Blade
Tesla Bulls got a huge scare yesterday when shares dipped by more than 20%.
Jittery investors eye today’s big jobs report as markets rebound from an epic sell-off|Bernhard Warner|September 4, 2020|Fortune

Another potential difficulty is a false positive, which could create an unnecessary scare.
The Case for Rapid At-Home COVID Testing for Everyone - Facts So Romantic|Robert Bazell|August 5, 2020|Nautilus
Once I got over that hurdle, it was as if a huge weight had lifted and I was not scared anymore.
Inside A Finishing School for Transwomen|Sharon Adarlo|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I was briefly scared into eating regularly, but all too soon, the fears fade and my old habits return.
You’re Never ‘Cured’ of an Eating Disorder|Carrie Arnold|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He recalled for Koenig how scared Jay was the night he was picked up by cops—though not of the police, but of Adnan.
Adnan Killed Her! No, Jay Did It! Serial’s Uncertain, True-to-Reality End|Emily Shire|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
About our Eric Garners—too fat, too scared, too noncompliant, too many kids—there are always, as Flagg knows well, excuses.
McConaughey’s ‘Stand’—And Ours|James Poulos|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Um, I was getting ready for Talking Dead so I would try to check in, but I also was like a little bit…scared?
Exit Interview: The Walking Dead's Beth Tells All|Melissa Leon|December 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He was scared from the world by its vices; and sometimes longed to repose his wearied spirit in the grave.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
My spurs fairly lifted the dun horse, and we scuttled in the opposite direction like a scared antelope.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
What a spectral and exaggerated shape all things take in her scared and over-excited gaze!
Checkmate|Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
As they brush the holly-leaves, in passing, the very sprays that touch the dresses of the scared girls are stirring.
Checkmate|Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
Was it to be wondered at that I felt proud and elated if also a little scared as to how I should get on.
Fifty Years of Railway Life in England, Scotland and Ireland|Joseph Tatlow