Fear vs. Scare: What's the Difference?
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Harlon Moss || Updated on November 9, 2023
Fear is an emotion, while scare is an experience or action that can cause fear.
Key Differences
Fear is a complex emotion that involves a sense of anxiety and apprehension about a potential threat, danger, or pain. Scare, on the other hand, often refers to a sudden experience that causes a brief moment of fear or the action of causing that moment. Fear is more enduring and can be a persistent feeling, while a scare is typically a temporary, immediate reaction.
Fear can manifest in various forms such as phobias, existential fears, or worry about the welfare of loved ones. It can also be an internal, psychological state that doesn't necessarily require an external cause. Scare is usually the result of a specific external stimulus—a surprise, a threat, or a shocking event. While fear can be deep-seated and complex, a scare is often superficial and short-lived.
In the psychological context, fear is an emotion that can lead to behavioral responses such as fight, flight, or freezing. It's a fundamental, powerful, and universal human emotion. Scare, as a verb, describes the action of causing someone to feel fear suddenly. As a noun, it relates to a situation where a sudden fear is experienced.
People may have a fear of heights that is present regardless of their immediate situation. Conversely, someone might get a scare when they are startled by an unexpected loud noise. Fear may lead to caution and avoidance, whereas a scare might be quickly laughed off once the moment passes.
Fear is a word that can be used in a variety of contexts, from the literal feeling of being afraid to a metaphorical use describing a concern or a risk (e.g., fear of failure). A scare can be used more narrowly, usually referring to a specific incident that induced a quick reaction of fear or to the act of causing such a reaction.
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Comparison Chart
Nature
An emotion or feeling
An experience or action
Duration
Can be long-lasting
Usually brief
Usage as a Verb
Less common, as in "to fear something"
More common, as in "to scare someone"
Usage as a Noun
A state of mind or emotion
A situation causing a sudden fear
Intensity
Can be deep and profound
Often sudden and sharp
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Fear and Scare Definitions
Fear
A feeling of anxiety concerning the outcome of something.
He spoke out despite his fear of retaliation.
Scare
A sudden experience causing fear.
The jumpscare in the movie gave me a good scare.
Fear
An unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm.
The fear of darkness can be debilitating for some.
Scare
A situation that causes a widespread panic.
The rumor of a hurricane caused a scare among the residents.
Fear
The likelihood of something unwelcome happening.
There is a fear that the disease may spread.
Scare
A state of panic induced in someone.
Her near-accident on the highway gave her family a scare.
Fear
A phobia, a strong irrational fear of something.
She had a crippling fear of spiders.
Scare
To frighten or cause sudden fear.
Don't scare the children with ghost stories.
Fear
Reverential awe, especially toward God.
They lived in fear of the divine laws.
Scare
To cause a quick and sudden fear for fun.
They love to scare their friends on Halloween.
Fear
A very unpleasant or disturbing feeling caused by the presence or imminence of danger
Our fears intensified as the storm approached.
Scare
To strike with sudden fear; alarm.
Fear
A state or condition marked by this feeling
Living in constant fear of attack.
Saved as much as he could for fear of losing his job.
Scare
To become frightened
A child who scares easily.
Fear
A feeling of disquiet or apprehension
A fear of looking foolish.
Scare
A condition or sensation of sudden fear
That mask gave me a real scare.
Fear
A reason for dread or apprehension
Being alone is my greatest fear.
Scare
A general state of alarm; a panic
A bomb scare that necessitated evacuating the building.
Fear
Extreme reverence or awe, as toward a deity.
Scare
Serving or intended to frighten people
Scare stories.
Scare tactics.
Fear
To be afraid or frightened of
A boy who fears spiders.
Scare
A minor fright.
Johnny had a bad scare last night.
Fear
To be uneasy or apprehensive about
We all feared what we would see when the grades were posted.
Scare
A cause of slight terror; something that inspires fear or dread.
A food-poisoning scare
Fear
To consider probable; expect
I fear you are wrong. I fear I have bad news for you.
Scare
A device or object used to frighten.
Fear
To revere or be in awe of (a deity, for example).
Scare
To frighten, terrify, startle, especially in a minor way.
Did it scare you when I said "Boo!"?
Fear
To be afraid
Your injury is minor. Don't fear.
Scare
To frighten; to strike with sudden fear; to alarm.
The noise of thy crossbowWill scare the herd, and so my shoot is lost.
Fear
To be uneasy or apprehensive
We fear for the future of the business.
Scare
Fright; esp., sudden fright produced by a trifling cause, or originating in mistake.
Fear
(uncountable) A strong, uncontrollable, unpleasant emotion or feeling caused by actual or perceived danger or threat.
He was struck by fear on seeing the snake.
Scare
Sudden mass fear and anxiety over anticipated events;
Panic in the stock market
A war scare
A bomb scare led them to evacuate the building
Fear
(countable) A phobia, a sense of fear induced by something or someone.
Not everybody has the same fears.
I have a fear of ants.
Scare
A sudden attack of fear
Fear
(uncountable) Terrified veneration or reverence, particularly towards God, gods, or sovereigns.
Scare
Cause fear in;
The stranger who hangs around the building frightens me
Fear
(transitive) To be afraid of (something or someone); to consider or expect (something or someone) with alarm.
I fear the worst will happen.
Scare
Cause to lose courage;
Dashed by the refusal
Fear
(intransitive) To feel fear.
Never fear; help is always near.
Fear
To worry about, to feel concern for, to be afraid for.
She fears for her son’s safety.
Fear
(transitive) To venerate; to feel awe towards.
People who fear God can be found in Christian churches.
Fear
(transitive) To regret.
I fear I have bad news for you: your husband has died.
Fear
To cause fear to; to frighten.
Fear
To be anxious or solicitous for.
Fear
To suspect; to doubt.
Fear
(dialectal) Able; capable; stout; strong; sound.
Hale and fear
Fear
A variant of Fere, a mate, a companion.
Fear
A painful emotion or passion excited by the expectation of evil, or the apprehension of impending danger; apprehension; anxiety; solicitude; alarm; dread.
Fear is an uneasiness of the mind, upon the thought of future evil likely to befall us.
Where no hope is left, is left no fear.
Fear
Apprehension of incurring, or solicitude to avoid, God's wrath; the trembling and awful reverence felt toward the Supreme Being.
I will put my fear in their hearts.
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Render therefore to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due . . . fear to whom fear.
Fear
That which causes, or which is the object of, apprehension or alarm; source or occasion of terror; danger; dreadfulness.
There were they in great fear, where no fear was.
The fear of your adventure would counsel you to a more equal enterprise.
Fear
To feel a painful apprehension of; to be afraid of; to consider or expect with emotion of alarm or solicitude.
I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.
Fear
To have a reverential awe of; to be solicitous to avoid the displeasure of.
Leave them to God above; him serve and fear.
Fear
To be anxious or solicitous for; now replaced by fear for.
The sins of the father are to be laid upon the children, therefore . . . I fear you.
Fear
To suspect; to doubt.
Ay what else, fear you not her courage?
Fear
To affright; to terrify; to drive away or prevent approach of by fear.
Fear their people from doing evil.
Tush, tush! fear boys with bugs.
Fear
To be in apprehension of evil; to be afraid; to feel anxiety on account of some expected evil.
I exceedingly fear and quake.
Fear
An emotion experienced in anticipation of some specific pain or danger (usually accompanied by a desire to flee or fight)
Fear
An anxious feeling;
Care had aged him
They hushed it up out of fear of public reaction
Fear
A profound emotion inspired by a deity;
The fear of God
Fear
Be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event;
I fear she might get aggressive
Fear
Be afraid or scared of; be frightened of;
I fear the winters in Moscow
We should not fear the Communists!
Fear
Be sorry; used to introduce an unpleasant statement;
I fear I won't make it to your wedding party
Fear
Be uneasy or apprehensive about;
I fear the results of the final exams
Fear
Regard with feelings of respect and reverence; consider hallowed or exalted or be in awe of;
Fear God as your father
We venerate genius
FAQs
Is fear always present?
Fear can be an underlying, persistent emotion.
Is a scare always negative?
Not always; scares can be in fun, like in haunted houses.
Can fear be positive?
Fear can be a protective emotion, alerting us to danger.
What is the emotion of fear?
Fear is an emotion of anxiety by a perceived threat.
What does scare mean?
Scare can mean to cause fear or the experience of sudden fear.
Do fear and scare have the same intensity?
Fear can vary in intensity; scares are usually intense but short.
How long does a scare last?
A scare is typically a brief, momentary shock.
Are scares always caused by real threats?
No, scares can be caused by imagined threats too.
Can you use fear as a verb?
Yes, such as "I fear the outcome of this decision."
Is fear rational?
Fear can be both rational and irrational.
Can you use scare as a noun?
Yes, like "That was quite a scare!"
Can fear be measured?
Fear can be measured by physiological responses.
Can a scare become a disorder?
Frequent scares can contribute to anxiety.
Can a scare cause long-term fear?
A scare can sometimes lead to ongoing fear.
Can animals be scared?
Yes, animals can get scared, often by sudden stimuli.
Can animals experience fear?
Yes, animals can feel fear.
Can a scare be measured?
The immediate reaction to a scare can be observed.
Are there disorders related to fear?
Yes, like phobias and anxiety disorders.
How do we overcome fear?
Through understanding, exposure, and sometimes therapy.
How do we overcome a scare?
By realizing it's temporary and often harmless.
About Author
Written by
Harlon MossHarlon is a seasoned quality moderator and accomplished content writer for Difference Wiki. An alumnus of the prestigious University of California, he earned his degree in Computer Science. Leveraging his academic background, Harlon brings a meticulous and informed perspective to his work, ensuring content accuracy and excellence.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
