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Scare vs Scarier - What's the difference?

scare | scarier |

As a noun scare

is a minor fright.

As a verb scare

is to frighten, terrify, startle, especially in a minor way.

As an adjective scarier is

(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

    * ----

    scarier

    English

    Adjective

    (head)
  • (scary)

    • Anagrams

    *

    scary

    English

    Etymology 1

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Causing or able to cause fright
    • The tiger's jaws were scary.
    She was hiding behind her pillow during the scary parts of the film.
  • (US, colloquial, dated) Subject to sudden alarm; nervous, jumpy.
    • (Whittier)
  • * 1916 , Texas Department of Agriculture, Bulletin (issues 47-57), page 150:
    • And let us say to these interests that, until the Buy-It-Made-In-Texas movement co-operates with the farmers, we are going to be a little scary of the snare.
    Synonyms
    * (causing fright) frightening

    Etymology 2

    From dialectal English .

    Noun

  • Barren land having only a thin coat of grass.

    • Anagrams

    * *