Scary and Startling

Scary

Scary adjective - Causing fear.
Usage example: a scary movie that gave the child nightmares for weeks afterwards

Startling and scary are semantically related In some cases you can use "Startling" instead an adjective "Scary".

Nearby Words: scare, scar, scared, scaring

Startling

Startling adjective - Causing a strong emotional reaction because of unexpectedness.

Scary and startling are semantically related in frightening topic. Sometimes you can use "Scary" instead an adjective "Startling".

Nearby Words: startle, startled, startler
Cite this Source
Startling and Scary. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/scary/startling
Scary & Startling. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/scary/startling>.
Startling or Scary. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/scary/startling.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "scary" and "startling" have occurred on timeline