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scary

[ skair-ee ]
/ ˈskɛər i /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR scary ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, scar·i·er, scar·i·est.

causing fright or alarm.
easily frightened; timid.

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RELATED WORDS

hairy, eerie, spooky, intimidating, creepy, alarming, shocking, chilling, horrifying, hair-raising, bloodcurdling, horrendous, spine-chilling, unnerving

Nearby words

  1. scarron, paul,
  2. scarry,
  3. scarsdale,
  4. scart,
  5. scarves,
  6. scat,
  7. scat singing,
  8. scat-,
  9. scatback,
  10. scatemia

Origin of scary

First recorded in 1575–85; scare + -y1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for scarier

British Dictionary definitions for scarier

scary

/ (ˈskɛərɪ) /

adjective scarier or scariest informal

causing fear or alarm; frightening
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
Word Origin and History for scarier

scary

adj.

also scarey, "terrifying," 1580s, from scare (n.) + -y (2). Meaning "easily frightened, subject to scares" is from 1800. Related: Scarier; scariest.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper