English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology

adjective B1 Intermediate Common

scared

skeh-uhd

Scared (adjective) means feeling fear; afraid. Example: “The kids were scared of the dark.”

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adjective

1

Feeling fear; afraid.

"The kids were scared of the dark."

"She was too scared to speak up in the meeting."

How to use scared

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishFeeling afraid or frightened.

Common pairings

scared of scared stiff get scared

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Word forms

more scared comparative, scareder comparative, most scared superlative, scaredest superlative

Test yourself on “scared” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The kids were _____ of the dark.

Etymology

From scare + -ed.

Synonyms

afraid frightened fearful terrified alarmed anxious nervous

Related words

easy concerned afraid worried calm nervous brave stressed

Rhymes for scared

Jared shared feared flared seared geared squared prepared infrared declared collared unprepared

See all rhymes for scared →

Frequently asked questions

What does “scared” mean?

The word “scared” means feeling fear; afraid. In plain terms, feeling afraid or frightened.

How do you pronounce “scared”?

“Scared” is pronounced skeh-uhd (/skɛ(ə)ɹd/ in IPA).

How do you use “scared” in a sentence?

Here is “scared” used in a sentence: “The kids were scared of the dark.”

What part of speech is “scared”?

“Scared” is an adjective.

Is “scared” a common word?

“Scared” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

What is the difference between scared and afraid?

The two are very close in meaning and usually interchangeable. 'Scared' tends to sound more informal and often suggests a sudden fright, while 'afraid' can feel slightly more formal and also covers milder worry, as in 'I'm afraid I disagree.' In most everyday sentences either word works fine.

What is the difference between 'scared' and 'scarred'?

They look similar but mean different things. 'Scared' means feeling fear or frightened. 'Scarred', with two r's, means marked by a scar, whether a healed wound on the skin or lasting emotional damage. The spellings and pronunciations differ, so take care not to swap one for the other.

What is the opposite of scared?

Words expressing the opposite of scared include brave, fearless, unafraid, calm, confident and bold. Which one fits best depends on the sentence: 'unafraid' simply negates the fear, whereas 'brave' and 'fearless' suggest actively facing danger without being overcome by it, and 'calm' points more to composure.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial · etymology from Wiktionary