Sometimes, people feel scared. It can happen when they hear a loud sound or see something strange. Kids may feel scared in the dark or when they hear thunder. Grown-ups can feel scared too, like when they watch a scary movie or hear bad news. Everyone gets scared sometimes, and that’s okay. There are fun and smart ways we talk about being scared. These ways use special sayings called idioms.
Idioms are phrases that don’t mean exactly what the words say. For example, if someone says “he jumped out of his skin,” they don’t really mean his skin came off! It just means he was very scared. These sayings make it easy to understand how someone feels without using many words. In this lesson, we will learn idioms that people use when they feel scared. They will help us talk about fear in a fun and clear way.
Idioms for Scared
1. Jump out of your skin
Meaning: Get very scared all of a sudden.
To Provide an Example: I jumped out of my skin when the balloon popped. / She jumped out of her skin when the dog barked loudly.
Alternative Meaning: Surprised in a scary way. / Shocked by something loud or fast.
2. Hair stood on end
Meaning: Felt very scared.
To Provide an Example: My hair stood on end when I heard the ghost story. / His hair stood on end during the thunderstorm.
Alternative Meaning: Felt a chill. / Got really nervous.
3. Shaking in your boots
Meaning: So scared your legs feel wobbly.
To Provide an Example: I was shaking in my boots before the spelling bee. / She was shaking in her boots before the dentist visit.
Alternative Meaning: Really nervous. / Feeling worried.
4. Scaredy-cat
Meaning: Someone who gets scared easily.
To Provide an Example: Don’t be a scaredy-cat, it’s just a toy spider. / He’s a scaredy-cat when it comes to loud sounds.
Alternative Meaning: Easily frightened. / Afraid of small things.
5. Goosebumps
Meaning: Little bumps on your skin when you’re scared.
To Provide an Example: I got goosebumps from the spooky music. / That dark hallway gave me goosebumps.
Alternative Meaning: Feeling cold or scared. / A scary chill.
6. Heart in your mouth
Meaning: Feeling very scared or surprised.
To Provide an Example: My heart was in my mouth when I got lost in the store. / Her heart was in her mouth when the lights went out.
Alternative Meaning: So scared you can feel it. / Really shocked.
7. Frozen with fear
Meaning: So scared you can’t move.
To Provide an Example: I was frozen with fear when I saw the big dog. / She was frozen with fear during the scary story.
Alternative Meaning: Too scared to move. / Stuck from fright.
8. Afraid of your own shadow
Meaning: Very easily scared.
To Provide an Example: He’s so nervous, he’s afraid of his own shadow. / She jumped like she was afraid of her own shadow.
Alternative Meaning: Gets scared for no reason. / Nervous all the time.
9. Eyes wide as saucers
Meaning: Eyes get big from fear or surprise.
To Provide an Example: His eyes were wide as saucers when he saw the spider. / Her eyes were wide as saucers during the ghost story.
Alternative Meaning: Very scared or shocked. / Can’t believe what you see.
10. Break out in a cold sweat
Meaning: Start sweating because of fear.
To Provide an Example: I broke out in a cold sweat when I had to speak in class. / She broke out in a cold sweat after the loud noise.
Alternative Meaning: Nervous and scared. / Feeling panicked.
11. Mind went blank
Meaning: Forgot everything because of fear.
To Provide an Example: My mind went blank when I saw the big dog. / Her mind went blank when the teacher called on her.
Alternative Meaning: Couldn’t think. / Froze up.
12. Butterflies in your stomach
Meaning: Feeling nervous or scared inside.
To Provide an Example: I had butterflies in my stomach before the test. / He had butterflies in his stomach at the doctor’s office.
Alternative Meaning: Tiny flutters from worry. / Nervous tummy.
13. Teeth chattering
Meaning: Teeth click together from fear or cold.
To Provide an Example: My teeth were chattering during the scary movie. / Her teeth were chattering at the haunted house.
Alternative Meaning: So scared your body shakes. / Nervous chills.
14. Hold your breath
Meaning: So scared you forget to breathe.
To Provide an Example: I held my breath during the storm. / He held his breath when the lights flickered.
Alternative Meaning: Stop breathing for a second. / Nervous pause.
15. Turn pale
Meaning: Skin gets light when you’re scared.
To Provide an Example: She turned pale when she saw the snake. / He turned pale during the fire drill.
Alternative Meaning: Looked very scared. / Lost color from fear.
16. Face like a ghost
Meaning: Look very scared or shocked.
To Provide an Example: He had a face like a ghost after the loud bang. / She looked like a ghost when she heard the news.
Alternative Meaning: Very pale and scared. / Surprised in a scary way.
17. Jump at your own shadow
Meaning: Get scared very easily.
To Provide an Example: He jumped at his own shadow in the dark. / She jumps at her own shadow when it’s quiet.
Alternative Meaning: Always scared. / Nervous all the time.
18. Hide under the covers
Meaning: Try to hide from fear.
To Provide an Example: I hid under the covers during the thunderstorm. / He hid under the covers when the lights went out.
Alternative Meaning: Hide from scary things. / Stay in bed to feel safe.
19. Like a deer in headlights
Meaning: So scared you can’t move or think.
To Provide an Example: I stood like a deer in headlights when the fire alarm rang. / She was like a deer in headlights when she saw the spider.
Alternative Meaning: Frozen in fear. / Can’t move or talk.
20. Spooked
Meaning: Got scared suddenly.
To Provide an Example: The cat got spooked by the vacuum. / I got spooked by the creaky door.
Alternative Meaning: Jumped from fear. / Suddenly scared.
21. White as a sheet
Meaning: Very pale from fear.
To Provide an Example: He went white as a sheet after the big boom. / She was white as a sheet when she saw the big dog.
Alternative Meaning: Very scared. / No color in your face.
22. Creeped out
Meaning: Feel scared and a little grossed out.
To Provide an Example: I got creeped out by the bugs. / The dark basement creeped me out.
Alternative Meaning: Uncomfortable and scared. / Weird scary feeling.
23. Scare the daylights out of
Meaning: Make someone really scared.
To Provide an Example: The clown scared the daylights out of me. / That loud thunder scared the daylights out of him.
Alternative Meaning: Super scared. / Shocked with fear.
24. Freaked out
Meaning: Got really scared or upset.
To Provide an Example: I freaked out when the dog barked at me. / She freaked out during the scary movie.
Alternative Meaning: Lost control from fear. / Very scared.
25. Jumpy
Meaning: Scared easily and quickly.
To Provide an Example: He was jumpy all day after watching a scary video. / I was jumpy after hearing a strange noise.
Alternative Meaning: Nervous and alert. / Ready to be scared.
26. Gasped
Meaning: A short breath from fear or shock.
To Provide an Example: I gasped when the balloon popped. / She gasped when the lights went out.
Alternative Meaning: Sudden breath from surprise. / Quick scared sound.
27. Turn tail
Meaning: Run away because you’re scared.
To Provide an Example: The dog turned tail and ran. / I turned tail when the lights flickered.
Alternative Meaning: Run from fear. / Leave quickly.
28. Got cold feet
Meaning: Backed out because of fear.
To Provide an Example: I got cold feet before jumping into the pool. / She got cold feet about talking on stage.
Alternative Meaning: Too scared to do it. / Lost courage.
29. Run for your life
Meaning: Run away because you’re really scared.
To Provide an Example: He ran for his life when the alarm rang. / We ran for our lives from the bees.
Alternative Meaning: Escape fast. / Very scared running.
30. Eyes popped out
Meaning: Eyes got wide from fear or shock.
To Provide an Example: My eyes popped out when I saw the lizard. / Her eyes popped out during the haunted house tour.
Alternative Meaning: Big surprise. / Shocked and scared.
31. Spine-tingling
Meaning: Something very scary or exciting.
To Provide an Example: That spooky story was spine-tingling. / The howl outside was spine-tingling.
Alternative Meaning: Sends shivers. / Scary and chilling.
32. A chill ran down my spine
Meaning: Felt a cold scare all over.
To Provide an Example: A chill ran down my spine when I heard a whisper. / I got a chill down my spine during the ghost story.
Alternative Meaning: Very scared. / Icy feeling of fear.
33. Heart skipped a beat
Meaning: Very scared for a second.
To Provide an Example: My heart skipped a beat when the light flickered. / Her heart skipped a beat when the door creaked.
Alternative Meaning: Quick fear. / Jump of fright.
34. Like a cat on a hot tin roof
Meaning: Moving nervously from fear.
To Provide an Example: He was like a cat on a hot tin roof before the test. / She acted like a cat on a hot tin roof in the dark.
Alternative Meaning: Can’t sit still. / Really anxious.
35. Face turned white
Meaning: Lost color from fear.
To Provide an Example: My face turned white when I heard a loud bang. / Her face turned white after the thunder.
Alternative Meaning: Pale from fright. / Looks scared.
36. Like a balloon about to pop
Meaning: Very tense and scared.
To Provide an Example: I felt like a balloon about to pop before my speech. / She was like a balloon about to pop before her test.
Alternative Meaning: Full of worry. / Ready to burst.
37. Quaking like a leaf
Meaning: Shaking from fear.
To Provide an Example: He was quaking like a leaf before the shot. / I was quaking like a leaf in the haunted maze.
Alternative Meaning: Very shaky. / So scared you’re trembling.
38. Felt a lump in my throat
Meaning: So scared or nervous it feels hard to talk.
To Provide an Example: I felt a lump in my throat during the scary story. / She had a lump in her throat before going on stage.
Alternative Meaning: Couldn’t speak from fear. / Very nervous.
39. Like walking into a lion’s den
Meaning: Going into a scary or tough place.
To Provide an Example: I felt like I was walking into a lion’s den before the dentist. / She walked into the dark room like into a lion’s den.
Alternative Meaning: Into a scary spot. / Feeling unsafe.
40. Like something out of a horror movie
Meaning: Something looked very scary.
To Provide an Example: That old house looked like something out of a horror movie. / The thunderstorm felt like something out of a horror movie.
Alternative Meaning: Super creepy. / Too scary to be real.
41. My stomach dropped
Meaning: Got a scared or shocked feeling inside.
To Provide an Example: My stomach dropped when I heard the loud noise. / Her stomach dropped at the scary part.
Alternative Meaning: Bad scary feeling. / Nervous inside.
42. Had a fright
Meaning: Got scared suddenly.
To Provide an Example: I had a fright when I saw the bat. / She had a fright when the door slammed.
Alternative Meaning: Sudden scare. / Surprised and nervous.
43. Feel uneasy
Meaning: Feel something is not right.
To Provide an Example: I felt uneasy in the dark basement. / She felt uneasy walking home alone.
Alternative Meaning: Not comfortable. / Quiet fear.
44. Spooked like a horse
Meaning: Got scared and jumped back.
To Provide an Example: He got spooked like a horse when the ball hit the window. / She got spooked like a horse when the phone rang.
Alternative Meaning: Quick scared jump. / Sudden fright.
45. Eyes darting
Meaning: Looking around because of fear.
To Provide an Example: His eyes were darting in the dark woods. / Her eyes darted during the scary story.
Alternative Meaning: Looking out for danger. / Nervous looking.
46. Heart pounding
Meaning: Heart beats really fast from fear.
To Provide an Example: My heart was pounding during the storm. / Her heart was pounding when she heard a strange noise.
Alternative Meaning: Very scared. / Fast heartbeat from fear.
47. Eyes glued in fear
Meaning: Too scared to look away.
To Provide an Example: His eyes were glued in fear at the movie. / I had my eyes glued in fear during the story.
Alternative Meaning: Too scared to blink. / Frozen watching.
48. Afraid to breathe
Meaning: So scared you barely breathe.
To Provide an Example: I was afraid to breathe when I saw the spider. / She was afraid to breathe in the dark room.
Alternative Meaning: Quiet from fear. / Holding breath.
49. Ran like the wind
Meaning: Ran very fast because of fear.
To Provide an Example: I ran like the wind when I saw the bee. / He ran like the wind after the thunder.
Alternative Meaning: Escaped quickly. / Super fast running.
50. Like my feet were stuck
Meaning: Too scared to move.
To Provide an Example: It felt like my feet were stuck when the alarm rang. / Her feet felt stuck during the scary part.
Alternative Meaning: Couldn’t move. / Too scared to step.
Trials for Success: Idioms for Scared
- I __________ when I heard the thunder outside my window.
- My sister was __________ during the ghost story at the campfire.
- When the teacher called my name, my __________ and I forgot what to say.
- He ran __________ when the dog started barking loudly.
- The loud noise __________ and I dropped my toy.
- I was __________ when I had to get a shot at the doctor.
- Her face turned __________ after she saw the spider.
- I was so scared, I felt like I was __________ in the dark hallway.
- During the scary movie, we both had __________ on our arms.
- The cat __________ when it heard the door slam.
- I stood there like a __________ when I saw the broken glass.
- His __________ when he peeked into the haunted house.
- I was too scared to move, like my __________.
- I got __________ when I had to stand in front of the class.
- I __________ after the lightning flash and loud thunder.
Answer Key
- jumped out of my skin
- frozen with fear
- mind went blank
- like the wind
- scared the daylights out of me
- shaking in my boots
- white as a sheet
- holding my breath
- goosebumps
- got spooked
- deer in headlights
- eyes were wide as saucers
- feet were stuck
- cold feet
- gasped
Conclusion
Sometimes we feel scared. That feeling is okay. Everyone gets scared now and then.
These idioms help us talk about being scared in fun and clear ways. They make stories more interesting. Now that you know them, try using them when you speak or write. They help others know just how you feel.
