scarify

verb

Definition of scarifynext
as in to frighten
to strike with fear that foolish woman would be scarified by a mouse

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of scarify Once the tree is removed from the pot, the root ball is scarified. — Martha Stewart, 2 July 2026 Some will confine their mess to pixels, but surely others will scarify the walls and stain the floors. — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 23 Sep. 2021 And some on the platform feel free enough to verbally poke a pop star or scarify Spotify. — Bill Hochberg, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scarify
  1. frighten
  2. scare
  3. terrify
  4. startle
Verb
  • Douglas admitted that his father’s behavior left him and brother Joel frightened.
    — Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
  • At the very start of the pandemic, while most Americans were hunkered down, frightened for their lives and worried about job loss, RealPage hosted a virtual pep talk for landlords.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of frighten
Verb
  • Dozens of other Halloween 2026 events in Metro Detroit are listed in the CBS News Detroit treats and scares roundup.
    — Jack Springgate, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • In addition to scaring the bejesus out of Hamlet and demanding blood, the ghost informs the audience exactly how the murder occurred.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of scare
Verb
  • By this point, the audience knows the monster a little too well to be properly terrified of her.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Though privacy concerns around these agents’ access may be terrifying in their own right, for now the utopian vision seems to be winning.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of terrify
Verb
  • The parents admit to some corporal punishment, but of a mild sort—the kind that might startle a child but which wouldn’t do bodily harm.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2026
  • However, startled by the activation of the security system, the suspect fled the scene without stealing any loot.
    — Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of startle

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Cite this Entry

“Scarify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scarify. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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