Sometimes things can be really scary, like a creepy story, a loud storm, or even standing on stage. When people want to talk about those moments, they often use idioms. Idioms are phrases that don’t mean exactly what they say, but they help explain strong feelings in a more exciting way.
In this article, we’ll explore idioms for scary things. These expressions help describe the feeling of fear in a fun and creative way. Whether it’s a spooky sound or a frightening moment, these idioms help us show just how scary it felt. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Idioms for Scary
1. Give someone the creeps
Meaning: Make someone feel uneasy or scared.
Samples: That old house gives me the creeps. / His whisper gave her the creeps.
To Put it Another Way: Made me feel weird. / Gave me a spooky feeling.
2. Scared out of my skin
Meaning: Very frightened.
Samples: I was scared out of my skin by that noise. / She was scared out of her skin when the lights went off.
To Put it Another Way: Really scared. / Jumped from fear.
3. A hair-raising experience
Meaning: Something very scary.
Samples: Walking through the haunted house was a hair-raising experience. / That scream was hair-raising.
To Put it Another Way: Very spooky. / Super scary.
4. A spine-chilling moment
Meaning: Very frightening moment.
Samples: The ghost story had a spine-chilling moment. / I had a spine-chilling moment in the basement.
To Put it Another Way: Gave me chills. / Scared me badly.
5. Send shivers down your spine
Meaning: Make you feel very scared or nervous.
Samples: The howling wind sent shivers down my spine. / Her scream sent shivers down my spine.
To Put it Another Way: Gave me chills. / Really creepy.
6. Scared stiff
Meaning: So scared you can’t move.
Samples: He was scared stiff when he heard the footsteps. / I was scared stiff watching the scary part.
To Put it Another Way: Couldn’t move from fear. / Frozen.
7. Give someone nightmares
Meaning: So scary it could cause bad dreams.
Samples: That movie gave me nightmares. / Her story could give someone nightmares.
To Put it Another Way: So scary I couldn’t sleep. / Too spooky.
8. Like a scene from a horror movie
Meaning: Looks or feels very scary.
Samples: The storm looked like a scene from a horror movie. / The hallway felt like a scene from a horror movie.
To Put it Another Way: Very frightening. / Looked spooky.
9. Blood runs cold
Meaning: Feel sudden fear or shock.
Samples: My blood ran cold when I saw the figure in the window. / Her blood ran cold when the phone rang in the dark.
To Put it Another Way: Felt sudden fear. / Got really scared fast.
10. Gave me a fright
Meaning: Scared me suddenly.
Samples: That pop-up gave me a fright. / She gave me a fright when she screamed.
To Put it Another Way: Gave me a scare. / Surprised me badly.
11. Ghost of a chance
Meaning: A very small or barely possible chance (can feel scary or uncertain).
Samples: He had a ghost of a chance to win. / There’s only a ghost of a chance we’ll finish on time.
To Put it Another Way: Almost no chance. / Very unlikely.
12. Frightened the life out of me
Meaning: Scared me a lot.
Samples: That loud noise frightened the life out of me. / He frightened the life out of me with that mask.
To Put it Another Way: Really scared me. / Made me jump.
13. Looked like they’d seen a ghost
Meaning: Looked very scared.
Samples: He looked like he’d seen a ghost after the story. / She looked like she’d seen a ghost when the lights flickered.
To Put it Another Way: Looked pale and scared. / Shocked with fear.
14. Creeped out
Meaning: Feeling very uncomfortable or afraid.
Samples: I was creeped out by the strange noise. / That painting creeped me out.
To Put it Another Way: Felt scared in a weird way. / Uncomfortable and nervous.
15. As pale as a ghost
Meaning: Very pale from fear.
Samples: She was as pale as a ghost after hearing the sound. / He turned as pale as a ghost when the lights went off.
To Put it Another Way: Looked really scared. / Lost color in the face.
16. Like a bat out of hell
Meaning: Moving fast because of fear or urgency.
Samples: He ran like a bat out of hell when he heard the noise. / She bolted like a bat out of hell.
To Put it Another Way: Ran really fast. / Moved quickly from fear.
17. Scream your head off
Meaning: Scream loudly from fear.
Samples: I screamed my head off when the spider dropped. / She screamed her head off during the haunted house.
To Put it Another Way: Yelled very loudly. / Really screamed.
18. Jumpy
Meaning: Easily scared.
Samples: I get jumpy during scary movies. / He was jumpy after hearing the story.
To Put it Another Way: Startled easily. / Nervous.
19. Too scary for words
Meaning: Extremely scary.
Samples: That story was too scary for words. / The sound was too scary for words.
To Put it Another Way: Super scary. / Hard to describe.
20. A chilling tale
Meaning: A very scary or creepy story.
Samples: He told a chilling tale around the campfire. / That book was a chilling tale.
To Put it Another Way: A scary story. / Gave me chills.
21. The house gives off spooky vibes
Meaning: The place feels creepy.
Samples: That old house gives off spooky vibes. / The basement gives off spooky vibes.
To Put it Another Way: Feels scary. / Creepy atmosphere.
22. Paralyzed with fear
Meaning: Too scared to move.
Samples: I was paralyzed with fear when the light went out. / She stood paralyzed with fear after hearing the noise.
To Put it Another Way: Couldn’t move. / Frozen with fear.
23. Heart racing
Meaning: Heart beating fast from fear.
Samples: My heart was racing during the scary scene. / His heart was racing from the sudden noise.
To Put it Another Way: Felt nervous. / Really scared.
24. Fright night
Meaning: A time full of scary things.
Samples: Halloween is fright night at our school. / That movie night turned into fright night.
To Put it Another Way: A scary event. / Full of spooky fun.
25. Like something out of a nightmare
Meaning: Very scary or upsetting.
Samples: That room looked like something out of a nightmare. / Her story was like something out of a nightmare.
To Put it Another Way: Really creepy. / Super scary.
26. Terrified beyond belief
Meaning: Extremely scared.
Samples: I was terrified beyond belief when I heard the sound. / She was terrified beyond belief at the haunted maze.
To Put it Another Way: Super frightened. / Very afraid.
27. Made my blood curdle
Meaning: Gave me a scary or sick feeling.
Samples: That scream made my blood curdle. / His tale made my blood curdle.
To Put it Another Way: Felt awful from fear. / Super creepy.
28. Eyes wide as saucers
Meaning: Eyes open big from fear or surprise.
Samples: His eyes were wide as saucers after the jump scare. / Her eyes were wide as saucers when the lights flickered.
To Put it Another Way: Eyes looked shocked. / Really scared.
29. A haunted look
Meaning: Someone looks deeply scared or worried.
Samples: He had a haunted look after the story. / Her face had a haunted look in the dark.
To Put it Another Way: Looked scared and quiet. / Deep fear on the face.
30. Feel a chill in the air
Meaning: Sense something spooky or scary.
Samples: I felt a chill in the air in that hallway. / We all felt a chill in the air during the story.
To Put it Another Way: Felt like something scary was near. / A spooky feeling.
Find the Topics: Idioms for Scary
Reading Passage: “The Stormy Night”
It was nearly midnight when the storm hit. The wind howled outside, and the windows shook. Maya sat on the couch with her eyes wide as saucers. A loud crash from the attic gave her the creeps.
Jason jumped out of his skin and screamed his head off. “That sound made my blood run cold,” he whispered. Their dog barked wildly, clearly creeped out by the thunder. Just then, the lights went out. “I’m scared stiff,” Maya said, hugging her pillow.
Everything felt like a scene from a horror movie. “It’s like something out of a nightmare,” Jason added, his voice shaky. The hallway gave off spooky vibes, and the house seemed to whisper in the wind. “This is totally fright night,” Maya said, trying to laugh.
Your Task:
Underline or list all 8 idioms for scary used in the story.
Answer Key
- Eyes wide as saucers
- Gave her the creeps
- Jumped out of his skin
- Screamed his head off
- Blood run cold
- Creeped out
- Scared stiff
- Like a scene from a horror movie
Conclusion
Scary moments can be hard to explain, but idioms make it easier. These phrases help us show what fear feels like fast heartbeats, wide eyes, and frozen feet. Whether it’s a spooky house or a sudden surprise, idioms for scary moments bring those feelings to life.
By using these idioms, we can share our stories in a clearer and more exciting way. So the next time something gives you the chills or makes your hair stand on end, try one of these expressions. It’ll help your words feel just as strong as your fear.
