scare

To make someone feel afraid.

• Big dogs scare me.
• The sudden noise scared the children.
• Does that film scare you?

How to use it: scare someone into doing something (The warning scared him into wearing a helmet.)

Similar words: frighten, startle, terrify

Opposites: reassure

Common phrases: scare someone, scare someone badly, scare someone stiff, scare someone silly

To make someone avoid an activity or leave because they feel afraid or worried.

• High prices scare customers off.
• The warning scared her away from the project.
• Will these fees scare off new members?

How to use it: scare someone off/away (The high fees scared many customers away.); scare someone off doing something (The risk scared him off investing his savings.)

Similar words: deter, discourage, put off

Opposites: encourage, attract

Common phrases: scare someone off, scare away customers, scare off buyers

To manage to find or get something that is difficult to obtain.

• Can you scare up some chairs?
• I scared up enough cash for dinner.
• They are trying to scare up more volunteers.

How to use it: scare up something (We managed to scare up enough money for the tickets.)

Similar words: find, get hold of, scrape together

Common phrases: scare up something, scare up cash, scare up tickets

A short, sudden feeling of fear, often because you think something bad has happened.

• You gave me a scare!
• We had a scare when the lights went out.
• That near accident was quite a scare.

How to use it: give someone a scare (That loud bang gave me a scare.)

Similar words: fright, shock

Common phrases: give someone a scare, a nasty scare, get a scare

A situation that makes people worry about a possible danger, even if the danger is not real.

• A bomb scare closed the station.
• Sales fell after the food scare.
• Her recent health scare made her change her habits.

Similar words: alarm, panic

Common phrases: health scare, food scare, bomb scare