What does scary mean?
Scary is an adjective meaning that something causes fear, dread, or intense unease. It is a flexible everyday word used for genuinely threatening situations, as in a scary animal or a scary story, and for things that make someone nervous or unsettled. In informal English, scary can also describe an exciting or impressive experience so intense that it feels overwhelming: “That roller coaster was scary.” The word is used in both formal and informal contexts, although alternatives such as frightening and terrifying may sound more emphatic or precise. Scary differs from scared, which describes the person experiencing fear rather than the thing causing it. It is also closely related in meaning to eerie and spooky, words that often suggest an atmosphere of mystery or supernatural dread rather than immediate danger.
Causing fear or anxiety; frightening.
"The sudden thunderclap was scary."
This is the standard and dominant sense. It is suitable in both formal and informal contexts.
Informally, extremely exciting, intense, or impressive.
"The concert was absolutely scary, with an unbeatable crowd and a dazzling light show."
This is informal and context-dependent; the word is especially common in spoken English and youth-oriented usage.
Scary often describes what frightens us, but in informal English it can also mean so exciting or impressive that the experience feels overwhelming.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does scary come from?
Scary developed from the older English noun and verb scare, which came from an Old English word meaning to frighten or terrify. The adjective scary became established in the 19th century by adding the productive suffix -y to scare. The related word scare ultimately has roots in an Old English term associated with fright and alarm, and it also gave rise to words such as scarecrow.
Related word forms
How scary is actually used
Generally neutral and widely used, though it may sound more conversational than formal alternatives such as frightening or terrifying. The second sense is informal and depends on context.
Easily confused with scary
Scary describes something that causes fear, whereas scared describes a person or animal who is experiencing fear.