scaryscar‧y, scarey /ˈskeəri $ ˈskeri/ ●●● S1 adjective (comparative scarier, superlative scariest) informal 
Examples
a scary moment a scary movie The book is both scary and funny.► see thesaurus at frightening
ExamplesEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- a big scary monster
- I don't regret my decision to start a new life, in a new country. It's scary, but it's also really exciting.
- I had a really scary dream last night.
- She didn't like the film. It was too scary for her.
- It really was scary - I kid you not.
- The stars and the street lights stopped it being too dark, but it was still pretty scary.
- What our deep-seated fears say, of course, can be even scarier than the stories themselves.
- While this may seem scary, it is the only way to get her stepfather to stop what he is doing.
- Yet the commercial is based on speculation that is indeed scary but not unjustified.
THESAURUS► frightening
Collocations making you feel frightened: · Being held at gunpoint had been the most frightening moment of his life.· The experience was very frightening.
► scary especially spoken frightening. Scary is less formal than frightening and is very common in everyday English: · The movie was really scary.· There were some scary moments.
► chilling frightening, especially because violence, cruelty, or danger is involved: · a chilling tale of revenge, murder and madness· The court heard chilling details about the attack.
► spooky frightening and strange, especially because something involves ghosts or powers that people do not understand: · The forest is really spooky in the dark.· a spooky coincidence· spooky stories
► creepy informal frightening in a way that makes you feel nervous, especially when you are not sure exactly why – used especially about places, people, and feelings: · This place is really creepy. Let’s get out of here.· a creepy guy· Do you know that creepy feeling when you're sure someone’s there but you can’t see or hear anything?
► eerie especially literary strange and frightening: · There was an eerie silence immediately after the bomb went off.· an eerie light· an eerie feeling
► intimidating making you feel frightened, nervous, or lacking in confidence: · Big schools can be an intimidating place for young children.· Giving evidence in court is often a rather intimidating experience.· the intimidating presence of a large number of soldiers
► menacing frightening because you think someone is going to hurt you, even though they have not said or done anything violent – used especially about someone’s expression or voice: · The woman had a very menacing look.· ‘I’d like to have a word with you outside,’ he said in a menacing tone.
Longman Language Activatormaking you feel frightened► frightening making you feel frightened: · Driving in big cities can be pretty frightening for many people.it's frightening: · There are so many people with guns these days, it's really frightening.it is frightening to do something: · It's frightening to think that something like this can happen in America today.a frightening experience/thought/prospect: · It was the most frightening experience of my life.· After so many years, going back to college and studying was a frightening prospect.
► terrifying very frightening: · They stopped me, and I saw that they had a gun. It was terrifying.· I opened my eyes, and tried to banish the terrifying images of the plane falling from the sky, and crashing into the sea.a terrifying scream/crash/sound etc: · There was a terrifying crash, and the house seemed to shake.a terrifying experience/ordeal/thought: · It had been a terrifying ordeal, but now, at last, he was free.
► scary especially spoken frightening - use this especially about stories, films, or situations in which strange or frightening things happen: · She didn't like the film. It was too scary for her.· I had a really scary dream last night.it's scary: · I don't regret my decision to start a new life, in a new country. It's scary, but it's also really exciting.· a big scary monster
► spooky a place or story that is spooky is frightening, especially because it is dark, strange etc: · The forest is really spooky in the dark.· Will you shut up about ghosts! You always scare me with that spooky talk!· I remembered that spooky feeling of being alone in the woods, and feeling that you are being watched by supernatural eyes.· We sat around the fire and told spooky tales.
► creepy a creepy feeling or place is one that is strange and makes you feel nervous and frightened, especially because you think that someone or something frightening might be there: · The house looked OK from the outside but inside it was all dark and creepy.· This place is really creepy. Let's get out of here.· I got a real creepy feeling on the way over there, as if someone was watching me.
► chilling a fact, statement or experience that is chilling , makes you feel frightened or shocked, because it is extremely cruel, violent, dangerous etc: · The lawyer gave a chilling demonstration of how the accused used a towel to suffocate his victim.· The captain's message ended with the chilling words: "Mission completed. All prisoners disposed of.''· The case is a chilling reminder of how ordinary, seemingly respectable citizens still have racist and deeply intolerant views.
► hair-raising an experience that is hair-raising is frightening because it is very dangerous: · We ended up making a hair-raising 200-kilometre night drive to the border.· After various hair-raising adventures in Afghanistan, Newcombe settled in Northern India.hair-raising tale/story : · Jenny had lots of adventures, travelling all over the world and always coming home with hair-raising stories.
► spine-chilling something such as a story, film, or statement that is spine-chilling is frightening because it clearly describes or shows frightening or evil events: · The collection includes a spine-chilling ghost story by Edgar Allan Poe.· The only journalist to witness the rebellion gave a spine-chilling account of atrocities carried out by both sides.
► blood-curdling: blood-curdling scream/howl/roar etc very frightening or made by someone who is extremely frightened: · Mary went upstairs to look for Dean and seconds later I heard a blood-curdling scream.· the blood-curdling howls of the wolves in the forest
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB► pretty
Word family· To tell the truth, it's pretty scary.· The stars and the street lights stopped it being too dark, but it was still pretty scary.
► really· It's presenting to my superiors that I find really scary.· What if you were alone in the middle of the night and something really scary or weird happened?· I remember before then when it was really scary.· The Rolling Stones: Go as really, really scary old guys.
► so· Compared with that, is taking the final step with me so scary?· I had been a child alone, but I learned that being a woman alone was not so scary.
► too· It looks set to be a monster success, even though some youngsters at last night's premiere said it was too scary.· For many, it may be too scary.
► very· Female speaker Walking over that causeway is very scary.· It is very scary to think that when my time comes to be cared for...· And that was very scary, because it was so much safer not to want anything at all, where Julius was concerned.· Needless to say, it was a very scary time for me.
NOUN► thing· The scary thing is that I hardly know him.· Telling children about scary things, and then showing them that there are happy endings, soothes their anxieties.· He says this is scariest thing I've ever done in my life.· Love is a scary thing for me.· Besides, Digby had even scarier things to consider.· The problem that develops is-one of the scary things is-this job demands that you rely on somebody else to get it done.
► thought· They have plenty of room to grow some more, a scary thought.· It was a scary thought at first.
WORD FAMILYadjectivescaredscarynounscareverbscare
frightening: a scary moment a scary movie The book is both scary and funny.► see thesaurus at frightening