scared
/skeəd/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Feeling fear or worry because something seems dangerous, bad, or shocking. It also describes someone who is frightened by an experience or idea.
- She looked scared during the thunderstorm.
- I'm scared of flying at night.
- He was scared to open the letter.
Adinary Nuance
Scared is the most direct and everyday word for feeling fear. It is more common in speech than frightened, which sounds a little more formal or literary. Afraid is often used before a noun or to talk about a general feeling, while scared often feels more immediate and emotional.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- sợ
- Spanish
- asustado
- Chinese
- 害怕的
- Japanese
- 怖がっている
- Korean
- 무서워하는
Etymology
Scared comes from Old Norse skirra, meaning “to frighten” or “to make afraid.” It entered English through Middle English and became common in everyday speech.
Common phrases
scared ofscared to deathscared stiffscared out of one's wits
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is scared the same as afraid?
- They are very close. Scared is usually more casual and emotional, while afraid can sound more general.
- Can I say 'scared of' and 'scared to'?
- Yes. Use scared of for a thing or person, and scared to before a verb.
- Is scared formal or informal?
- It is mostly informal and very common in speech and writing for general readers.
- What is the difference between scared and frightened?
- Both mean afraid, but frightened is a little more formal and often sounds stronger in writing.