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Scare vs Frightening - What's the difference?

scare | frightening |

As verbs the difference between scare and frightening

is that scare is to frighten, terrify, startle, especially in a minor way while frightening is present participle of lang=en.

As a noun scare

is a minor fright.

As an adjective frightening is

causing fear; of capable of causing fear; scary.

scare

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A minor fright.
    • Johnny had a bad scare last night.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=June 4 , author=Phil McNulty , title=England 2 - 2 Switzerland , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=England were held to a draw after surviving a major scare against Switzerland as they were forced to come from two goals behind to earn a point in the Euro 2012 qualifier at Wembley.}}
  • A cause of slight terror; something that inspires fear or dread.
    • JM is a scare to the capitalists of this country.

    Synonyms

    * fright

    Related terms

    * scary

    See also

    * scarecrow

    Verb

  • To frighten, terrify, startle, especially in a minor way.
    • Did it scare you when I said "Boo!"?
  • * (rfdate) (Shakespeare)
    • The noise of thy crossbow / Will scare the herd, and so my shoot is lost.
  • * (The Langoliers)
    • (Laurel Stevenson) Would you please be quiet? You're scaring the little girl.
    (Craig Toomey) Scaring the little girl?! Scaring the little girl?! Lady!

    Synonyms

    * frighten * terrify * See also

    Derived terms

    * bird-scarer * Red scare * scarecrow * scared * scaredy-cat * scaremonger * scare out of one's wits * scarer * scare straight * scare the pants off of

    Anagrams

    * ----

    frightening

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Causing fear; of capable of causing fear; scary.
    • The frightening scientist lived in an old shack.
  • (figuratively) Awful, terrible, very bad.

    • Synonyms

    *

    Verb

    (head)
    • The scientist was frightening the timid children.