Fear, the primal emotion that can send shivers down our spine, often finds its expression in idioms.
These linguistic gems capture the essence of terror, panic, and anxiety in a way that words alone sometimes fail to do. In this exploration, we’ll unravel the tapestry of idioms for the scared, understanding the vivid imagery each one paints.
Idioms for Scared
1. Scared Stiff
Meaning: This idiom is used to describe someone who is extremely frightened or terrified.
In a Sentence: As the thunder roared, she stood there, scared stiff, unable to move a muscle.
2. Scared Out of One’s Wits
Meaning: This idiom is used to describe someone who is so scared that they are completely panicked or frantic.
In a Sentence: The sudden crash in the dark alley scared him out of his wits, sending him sprinting for safety.
3. Scared Silly
Meaning: This idiom is used to describe someone who is very frightened or shocked, to the point of acting silly or foolish.
In a Sentence: The horror movie left her scared silly, and she found herself nervously laughing at every shadow.
4. Scared to Death
Meaning: This idiom is used to describe someone who is so scared that they feel as though they are going to die.
In a Sentence: The haunted house was so terrifying; it felt like I was scared to death with each passing corridor.
5. Scared to Move
Meaning: This idiom is used to describe someone who is so scared that they are unable to move or act.
In a Sentence: Caught in the eerie stillness of the forest at night, he was scared to move, fearing the unknown lurking in the shadows.
6. Scared Witless
Meaning: This idiom is used to describe someone who is so scared that they are unable to think clearly or make rational decisions.
In a Sentence: The ghost story rendered her scared witless, and she couldn’t make sense of the creaks in the old house.
7. Scared to Death of Spiders
Meaning: This idiom is used to describe someone who has an intense fear of spiders.
In a Sentence: Seeing a spider in her room, she screamed – scared to death of spiders, she was frozen in place.
8. Scared to Death of Heights
Meaning: This idiom is used to describe someone who has a fear of heights.
In a Sentence: As they approached the edge of the cliff, his face turned pale; he was scared to death of heights.
9. Scared of One’s Own Shadow
Meaning: This idiom is used to describe someone who is very easily frightened or scared by even the slightest thing.
In a Sentence: The horror movie aficionado surprisingly turned out to be scared of his own shadow when the lights went out unexpectedly.
10. Scared to Go Out at Night
Meaning: This idiom is used to describe someone who is afraid to go outside after dark.
In a Sentence: Living in a crime-prone neighborhood, she was scared to go out at night, opting for the safety of her home.
11. Scared to Take the Next Step
Meaning: This idiom is used to describe someone who is afraid to move forward or take action, often due to fear of failure or rejection.
In a Sentence: Despite the exciting job offer, he was scared to take the next step, fearing the unknown challenges.
12. Scared to Speak Up
Meaning: This idiom is used to describe someone who is afraid to speak up or share their opinion, often due to fear of rejection or backlash.
In a Sentence: In meetings, she remained silent, scared to speak up, worried about what her colleagues might think.
13. Scared to Death of Failure
Meaning: This idiom is used to describe someone who is extremely afraid of failing.
In a Sentence: The fear of disappointing his parents had him scared to death of failure in his endeavors.
14. Scared to Death of Public Speaking
Meaning: This idiom is used to describe someone who has a fear of speaking in front of a group of people.
In a Sentence: The thought of addressing the crowd left him scared to death of public speaking, palms sweaty and knees trembling.
15. Scared to Death of Change
Meaning: This idiom is used to describe someone who is extremely afraid of change or of anything new.
In a Sentence: Even a minor shift in routine left her scared to death of change, preferring the comfort of the familiar.
16. Shook to the Core
Meaning: This idiom means that someone is deeply disturbed, frightened, or shaken by something, to the point where it affects their core being.
In a Sentence: The news of the accident left him shook to the core, questioning the fragility of life.
17. Jumped Out of One’s Skin
Meaning: This idiom means that someone was so scared by something that they jumped or startled in reaction.
In a Sentence: The sudden burst of fireworks made her jumped out of her skin, the loud bang taking her by surprise.
18. Trembling with Fear
Meaning: This idiom means that someone is shaking or trembling because of fear.
In a Sentence: Confronted by the growling dog, he stood there, trembling with fear, unsure of what to do.
19. Shivering with Terror
Meaning: This idiom means that someone is shaking or shivering because of intense fear.
In a Sentence: Lost in the haunted woods, she found herself shivering with terror, haunted by unseen phantoms.
20. Goosebumps
Meaning: This idiom means that someone is feeling scared or excited, causing their skin to become raised in small bumps.
In a Sentence: As the ghost story unfolded, she felt goosebumps, the eerie tale sending chills down her spine.
21. Heart in One’s Mouth
Meaning: This idiom means that someone is so scared or nervous that they feel like their heart is beating in their throat.
In a Sentence: Walking on the tightrope, he felt his heart in his mouth, the fear of falling palpable.
22. Terrified Out of One’s Mind
Meaning: This idiom means that someone is so scared that they cannot think clearly or rationally.
In a Sentence: The horror movie had her terrified out of her mind; she couldn’t sleep for days.
23. Petrified with Fear
Meaning: This idiom means that someone is so scared that they are unable to move or act, as if they have turned to stone.
In a Sentence: The sudden appearance of the ghost left him petrified with fear, rooted to the spot.
24. Frozen with Fear
Meaning: This idiom means that someone is so scared that they are unable to move, as if they have been frozen in place.
In a Sentence: Confronted by the wild bear, he stood there, frozen with fear, hoping it wouldn’t notice him.
25. Scared Stiffened
Meaning: This idiom means that someone is so scared that their body becomes stiff and rigid.
In a Sentence: Caught in the haunted house, she was scared stiffened, unable to escape the spine-chilling atmosphere.
26. Breathless with Fear
Meaning: This idiom means that someone is so scared that they are unable to breathe properly.
In a Sentence: The eerie silence in the dark alley left her breathless with fear, anticipating the unknown.
27. Palpitating with Fear
Meaning: This idiom means that someone’s heart is racing or pounding rapidly due to fear.
In a Sentence: The sudden loud noise had her palpitating with fear, the adrenaline rush overwhelming.
28. Sweating Bullets
Meaning: This idiom means that someone is so scared or anxious that they are sweating profusely.
In a Sentence: The job interview had him sweating bullets, nervous about making a good impression.
29. Terrified Out of One’s Wits (Again)
Meaning: This idiom means that someone is so scared that they are completely panicked or frantic.
In a Sentence: The unexpected encounter with the wild animal had him terrified out of his wits, scrambling for safety.
30. A Bundle of Nerves
Meaning: This idiom means that someone is very anxious or scared, often to the point of being visibly agitated.
In a Sentence: Before the big presentation, she was a bundle of nerves, pacing nervously backstage.
Summary
Idiom | Meaning |
---|---|
Scared Stiff | Extremely frightened or terrified. |
Scared Out of One’s Wits | Completely panicked or frantic due to fear. |
Scared Silly | Very frightened or shocked, resulting in silly or foolish behavior. |
Scared to Death | Feeling as though one is going to die due to extreme fear. |
Scared to Move | Unable to move or act due to intense fear. |
Scared Witless | Unable to think clearly or make rational decisions due to fear. |
Scared to Death of Spiders | Intense fear of spiders. |
Scared to Death of Heights | Fear of heights. |
Scared of One’s Own Shadow | Easily frightened by even the slightest thing. |
Scared to Go Out at Night | Afraid to go outside after dark. |
Scared to Take the Next Step | Afraid to move forward or take action, often due to fear of failure or rejection. |
Scared to Speak Up | Afraid to share opinions or speak up, often due to fear of rejection or backlash. |
Scared to Death of Failure | Extremely afraid of failing. |
Scared to Death of Public Speaking | Fear of speaking in front of a group of people. |
Scared to Death of Change | Extremely afraid of change or anything new. |
Shook to the Core | Deeply disturbed, frightened, or shaken by something. |
Jumped Out of One’s Skin | Startled or jumped due to extreme fear. |
Trembling with Fear | Shaking or trembling because of fear. |
Shivering with Terror | Shaking or shivering due to intense fear. |
Goosebumps | Feeling scared or excited, causing raised skin bumps. |
Heart in One’s Mouth | Feeling so scared or nervous that the heart seems to be in the throat. |
Terrified Out of One’s Mind | Unable to think clearly or rationally due to extreme fear. |
Petrified with Fear | So scared that one is unable to move or act, as if turned to stone. |
Frozen with Fear | Unable to move due to extreme fear, as if frozen in place. |
Scared Stiffened | So scared that the body becomes stiff and rigid. |
Breathless with Fear | Unable to breathe properly due to fear. |
Palpitating with Fear | Heart racing or pounding rapidly due to fear. |
Sweating Bullets | Sweating profusely due to extreme fear or anxiety. |
Terrified Out of One’s Wits (Again) | Completely panicked or frantic due to extreme fear. |
A Bundle of Nerves | Very anxious or scared, often visibly agitated. |
Conclusion
Fear, an omnipresent companion in the human experience, manifests itself in the richness of idiomatic expressions. From being scared stiff to turning into a bundle of nerves, these idioms not only paint a vivid picture of fear but also allow us to delve into the intricacies of human emotions.