Word
scary
US/ˈskɛɹi/
UK/skˈeəɹi/
Definitions
01causing fear
A2 · Elementary Informal
adj. making you feel afraid or nervous.
adj. causing fear, anxiety, or alarm. Often used to describe entertainment or situations that are intentionally frightening.
日本語:怖い※
“The movie was so scary that I had to cover my eyes during the ending.”
“Walking through the abandoned hospital at night was a truly scary experience that left the entire group feeling unsettled.”
Usage
Commonly used as a predicative adjective after 'be' or 'look'.
Pitfall
I am very scary of spiders.
I am very scared of spiders.
Use 'scary' to describe the thing that causes fear, and 'scared' to describe how you feel.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02striking or surprising
B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal
adj. so impressive or strange that it is almost shocking.
adj. uncannily striking, surprising, or impressive in its intensity or accuracy.
“The resemblance between the two cousins is actually quite scary.”
“The new software can mimic a person's voice with scary accuracy, raising significant concerns about digital security.”
Synonyms
03very or extremely
C1 · Advanced Informal
adv. used to emphasize how much of a quality something has.
adv. functioning as an intensifier to mean 'to a frightening or surprising degree'.
“The car was going scary fast down the narrow country road.”
“The stock market has been scary quiet lately, leading many analysts to predict a sudden period of high volatility.”
Usage
In this sense, the word functions as an adverb modifying an adjective.
Synonyms
Etymology
From scare + -y.
From dialectal English scare (“scraggy”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- A2 · ElementaryOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/scary
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0