scared
adj. · v.-
1 feeling fear (adj.) A2 Elementaryfeeling afraid or worried that something bad will happen.
experiencing fear, anxiety, or apprehension. Often used with 'of' or 'to'.
ExampleThe little boy was scared of the dark and always left a light on.
ExampleMany investors are scared of a sudden market downturn, leading them to move their capital into more stable assets.
UsageCommonly followed by 'of' + noun or 'to' + verb.
PitfallI am scared about spiders.I am scared of spiders.Use the preposition 'of' when naming the thing that causes you fear.
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2 past tense of scare (v.) A2 Elementarythe past tense of 'scare', meaning you made someone feel afraid.
the past tense and past participle form of the transitive verb 'scare'.
ExampleThe loud thunder scared the cat, and it hid under the sofa.
ExampleThe sudden drop in the aircraft's altitude scared the passengers, though the pilot quickly regained control and explained the turbulence.
From scare + -ed.