# scared to death

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/scared-to-death
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Extremely frightened.

## Examples

- I am scared to death of spiders.
- The thunder was so loud during the storm that the children were scared to death.
- Although she tried to appear composed, she was scared to death that the truth about her past would finally be revealed.

## Origin

The expression is potentially a reformation of the Old English phrase oþ dēaþ ondrǣdan, which translates literally as to be scared to death.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.