noun
scare
skeh-uh
noun
1
A sudden fright, or an event that causes widespread alarm.
"The health scare turned out to be a false alarm."
"That noise gave me quite a scare."
verb
1
To frighten someone, often briefly or mildly.
"The thunder scared the dog under the bed."
"Don't scare me like that!"
How to Use Scare
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA fright, or to give someone a fright.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
scare tactics
health scare
scare someone off
Word Forms
more scare comparative, scared past tense, scares plural, scares singular, most scare superlative
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The health _____ turned out to be a false alarm.
Etymology
From Middle English sker/skere, "terror," related to an Old Norse verb for frightening.