Find Synonyms

scary Synonyms

Another word for scary

Choosing another word for scary depends on context, so the 19 synonyms and similar words below are separated across 2 exact definitions and ranked by match strength.
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• adjective (Context 1)

Causing fear, alarm, or fright; frightening.

Usage Example

"The children huddled under the blankets while watching a frightening movie about a haunted house."

Strongest
frightening
terrifying
Strong
spooky
creepy
chilling
alarming
eerie
hair-raising
spine-chilling
blood-curdling

• adjective (Context 2)

Strikingly impressive, extreme, or formidable in degree or scale (informal).

Usage Example

"Her ability to memorize complex musical scores after a single glance is almost formidable."

Strongest
formidable
Strong
mind-boggling
staggering
astounding
uncanny
awe-inspiring
awesome
phenomenal
intimidating

Opposites of scary

The opposite of scary shifts depending on context. Common opposites include:

comforting
reassuring
unimpressive
calming
ordinary
soothing
unremarkable
mediocre
See all opposites of scary

• Nearby Words

scarred
scarring
scarved
scary
scat
scathing
scathingly

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Synonyms for Scary. In Wordmom Thesaurus. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/synonyms/scary
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