[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":148},["ShallowReactive",2],{"w-scared":3},{"word":4,"pos":5,"definition":6,"senses":7,"antonyms":128,"tip":137,"faq":138},"scared","adjective","Feeling afraid, frightened, or anxious because of a real or imagined threat.",[8,55,94],{"label":9,"pos":5,"gloss":10,"synonyms":11},"afraid of danger","feeling fear or alarm",[12,22,27,33,38,44,50],{"w":13,"intensity":14,"formality":14,"contexts":15,"nuance":20,"example":21},"afraid",3,[16,17,18,19],"academic","business","casual","creative","neutral, general fear term","She was afraid to walk home alone.",{"w":23,"intensity":14,"formality":14,"contexts":24,"nuance":25,"example":26},"frightened",[16,17,18,19],"emphasizes the feeling itself","He looked frightened when the lights went out.",{"w":28,"intensity":14,"formality":29,"contexts":30,"nuance":31,"example":32},"fearful",4,[16,17,19],"slightly more formal and serious","The fearful passengers stayed seated.",{"w":34,"intensity":14,"formality":29,"contexts":35,"nuance":36,"example":37},"alarmed",[16,17,19],"suggests sudden concern or alarm","She was alarmed by the strange noise.",{"w":39,"intensity":40,"formality":14,"contexts":41,"nuance":42,"example":43},"terrified",5,[16,17,18,19],"much stronger, extreme fear","He was terrified of the dark basement.",{"w":45,"intensity":46,"formality":46,"contexts":47,"nuance":48,"example":49},"spooked",2,[18,19],"informal; easily startled or unnerved","The dog got spooked by the fireworks.",{"w":51,"intensity":46,"formality":46,"contexts":52,"nuance":53,"example":54},"jumpy",[18,19],"nervous and easily startled","I was jumpy after hearing the alarm.",{"label":56,"pos":5,"gloss":57,"synonyms":58},"anxious or uneasy","feeling worried, uneasy, or nervous",[59,64,69,74,79,84,89],{"w":60,"intensity":14,"formality":14,"contexts":61,"nuance":62,"example":63},"anxious",[16,17,18,19],"focuses on worry rather than fear","She felt anxious before the interview.",{"w":65,"intensity":46,"formality":14,"contexts":66,"nuance":67,"example":68},"nervous",[16,17,18,19],"common, lighter worry or tension","I get nervous speaking in public.",{"w":70,"intensity":46,"formality":14,"contexts":71,"nuance":72,"example":73},"uneasy",[16,17,19,18],"restless or uncomfortable, not openly fearful","He felt uneasy about the deal.",{"w":75,"intensity":14,"formality":29,"contexts":76,"nuance":77,"example":78},"apprehensive",[16,17,19],"formal; worried about what may happen","They were apprehensive about the results.",{"w":80,"intensity":46,"formality":14,"contexts":81,"nuance":82,"example":83},"worried",[16,17,18,19],"plain concern, weaker than fear","She's worried about the exam.",{"w":85,"intensity":46,"formality":14,"contexts":86,"nuance":87,"example":88},"tense",[16,17,18,19],"physically or emotionally strained","The room felt tense before the announcement.",{"w":90,"intensity":29,"formality":46,"contexts":91,"nuance":92,"example":93},"panicky",[18,19],"strong, rushed anxiety; informal","He got panicky when he couldn't find his phone.",{"label":95,"pos":5,"gloss":96,"synonyms":97},"afraid of doing","reluctant because of possible embarrassment, harm, or difficulty",[98,103,108,113,118,123],{"w":99,"intensity":46,"formality":14,"contexts":100,"nuance":101,"example":102},"hesitant",[16,17,18,19],"careful and not fully committed","She was hesitant to speak up.",{"w":104,"intensity":46,"formality":14,"contexts":105,"nuance":106,"example":107},"reluctant",[16,17,18,19],"unwilling rather than frightened","He was reluctant to try again.",{"w":109,"intensity":29,"formality":46,"contexts":110,"nuance":111,"example":112},"cowardly",[18,19],"critical; showing lack of courage","He called his own retreat cowardly.",{"w":114,"intensity":46,"formality":14,"contexts":115,"nuance":116,"example":117},"timid",[16,17,19,18],"shy, lacking confidence","The timid child stayed close to her mother.",{"w":119,"intensity":14,"formality":14,"contexts":120,"nuance":121,"example":122},"fearful of",[16,17,19,18],"afraid that something will happen","He's fearful of making the same mistake again.",{"w":124,"intensity":46,"formality":46,"contexts":125,"nuance":126,"example":127},"gun-shy",[18,19],"informal; wary after a bad experience","After the loss, investors were gun-shy.",[129,130,131,132,133,134,135,136],"brave","courageous","calm","unafraid","fearless","confident","bold","secure","Use afraid, frightened, and terrified for direct fear, with terrified reserved for the strongest cases. For anxiety or reluctance, anxious, uneasy, hesitant, and reluctant are usually more natural than scared.",[139,142,145],{"q":140,"a":141},"What is the most formal or academic alternative to scared?","Fearful and apprehensive are the most formal everyday alternatives. Apprehensive is especially useful when the fear is about a possible future event.",{"q":143,"a":144},"What is a stronger word than scared?","Terrified is much stronger and suggests intense fear. Panicked is also strong, but it often emphasizes loss of control rather than pure fear.",{"q":146,"a":147},"What is a milder alternative to scared?","Nervous, uneasy, or worried are milder and often sound more natural in everyday writing. Use them when the feeling is more like tension or concern than real fear.",1790472037773]