Even the quietest fear can be loud in language—and idioms for scared bring that emotion to life. These expressions turn trembling hands and pounding hearts into vivid imagery you can feel. With each phrase, fear becomes something you can picture, remember, and use.
Let these idioms help you speak about fear in ways that are simple, powerful, and unforgettable.
Best Idioms for Scared
1. Scared stiff
Meaning: Feeling so frightened that you can’t move as if frozen in place.
In a Sentence:
I was scared stiff when I heard footsteps behind me in the dark.
She stood there scared stiff, unable to say a word.
Other Ways to Say: Frozen with fear. Paralyzed by fear. Petrified.
2. Scared to death
Meaning: Extremely frightened, to the point it feels life-threatening.
In a Sentence:
The thunderstorm last night scared me to death.
He was scared to death of flying for the first time.
Other Ways to Say: Terrified. Frightened out of your mind. Shaken.
3. Scared out of my wits
Meaning: So frightened that you lose your ability to think clearly.
In a Sentence:
That horror movie scared me out of my wits.
She was scared out of her wits when the alarm went off.
Other Ways to Say: Shocked senseless. Scared speechless. Panicked.
4. Frighten/scare somebody to death
Meaning: To make someone extremely frightened, nearly overwhelming.
In a Sentence:
The loud bang scared me to death!
He frightened his friend to death with that prank.
Other Ways to Say: Terrify. Give someone a fright. Startle badly.
5. Scare the hell out of me
Meaning: To shock or frighten someone very strongly.
In a Sentence:
That sudden noise scared the hell out of me.
The haunted house really scared the hell out of them.
Other Ways to Say: Shock terribly. Alarm deeply. Make someone jump.
6. Be scared silly
Meaning: So frightened you start acting foolish or lose control.
In a Sentence:
I was scared silly during the roller coaster ride.
They were scared silly by the ghost story.
Other Ways to Say: Freaked out. Spooked. Petrified.
7. Scare the daylights out of someone
Meaning: To frighten someone very badly, as if draining their energy.
In a Sentence:
That dark alley scared the daylights out of me.
He scared the daylights out of his sister as a joke.
Other Ways to Say: Terrify. Give someone a big scare. Frighten badly.
8. Scare his pants off
Meaning: To scare someone extremely, often humorously.
In a Sentence:
The horror maze scared his pants off.
She scared his pants off with her creepy mask.
Other Ways to Say: Startle. Spook. Terrify.
9. Petrified with fear
Meaning: So scared that you feel completely frozen and helpless.
In a Sentence:
I was petrified with fear when I saw the snake.
He stood petrified with fear at the edge of the cliff.
Other Ways to Say: Frozen with fear. Rooted to the spot. Immobilized.
10. Frightened out of your mind
Meaning: So frightened that you lose your calm and reasoning.
In a Sentence:
She was frightened out of her mind by the news.
I was frightened out of my mind when I heard the scream.
Other Ways to Say: Panicked. Terrified. Distraught.
11. On pins and needles
Meaning: Feeling very nervous or anxious while waiting for something.
In a Sentence:
I was on pins and needles waiting for my exam results.
She sat on pins and needles before the interview.
Other Ways to Say: On edge. Anxious. Tense.
12. Have butterflies in your stomach
Meaning: Feeling nervous or jittery, often before an important event.
In a Sentence:
I had butterflies in my stomach before going on stage.
He always gets butterflies in his stomach before a big game.
Other Ways to Say: Feel jittery. Nervous energy. Restless.
13. Be at your wits’ end
Meaning: So worried or frustrated that you don’t know what to do.
In a Sentence:
I was at my wits’ end trying to solve the problem.
She’s at her wits’ end with her noisy neighbors.
Other Ways to Say: Desperate. Frustrated. Stressed out.
14. Bated breath
Meaning: Holding your breath in nervous anticipation.
In a Sentence:
We waited with bated breath for the winner to be announced.
He listened with bated breath to the final verdict.
Other Ways to Say: Anxiously waiting. On edge. Holding your breath.
15. Bundle of nerves
Meaning: Feeling extremely nervous or anxious, unable to relax.
In a Sentence:
I was a bundle of nerves before my first presentation.
She turned into a bundle of nerves before the wedding.
Other Ways to Say: Highly strung. On edge. Jittery.
Related Post: 50 Best Idioms for Crying and Sadness
16. On edge
Meaning: Feeling tense, anxious, and easily upset.
In a Sentence:
He’s been on edge all week waiting for the call.
The stressful meeting left everyone on edge.
Other Ways to Say: Restless. Uneasy. Anxious.
17. Sweat bullets
Meaning: Feeling so nervous that you literally sweat a lot.
In a Sentence:
I was sweating bullets during the final exam.
She sweated bullets waiting for the test results.
Other Ways to Say: Extremely nervous. Anxious. Panicking.
18. Nerves of steel
Meaning: Staying calm and composed in frightening or stressful situations.
In a Sentence:
She showed nerves of steel during the emergency.
Pilots need to have nerves of steel in a crisis.
Other Ways to Say: Brave. Cool-headed. Unshakable.
19. Bite your nails
Meaning: To physically show anxiety or fear by chewing your nails.
In a Sentence:
I was biting my nails as the game went into overtime.
He bit his nails nervously before his speech.
Other Ways to Say: Show anxiety. Fidget. Be nervous.
20. Have a sinking feeling
Meaning: A sudden, unpleasant sense that something bad is going to happen.
In a Sentence:
I had a sinking feeling when I saw the missed call.
She got a sinking feeling as the storm rolled in.
Other Ways to Say: Bad premonition. Foreboding. Worry.
21. Cold sweat
Meaning: Sweating caused by extreme fear or anxiety, even when not hot.
In a Sentence:
He broke out in a cold sweat before going on stage.
I woke up in a cold sweat after the nightmare.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous perspiration. Panic sweat. Chilled sweat.
22. My blood ran cold
Meaning: Feeling a sudden chill of fear or horror.
In a Sentence:
My blood ran cold when I heard the scream.
The eerie sound made her blood run cold.
Other Ways to Say: Frozen with fear. Terrified. Horrified.
23. Shake like a leaf
Meaning: Trembling uncontrollably due to fear or anxiety.
In a Sentence:
He was shaking like a leaf before his speech.
She shook like a leaf after the close call on the road.
Other Ways to Say: Tremble. Shiver with fear. Quiver.
24. Heart skips a beat
Meaning: A sudden rush of fear or shock that makes your heart feel like it pauses.
In a Sentence:
My heart skipped a beat when I saw the speeding car.
His heart skipped a beat hearing the sudden noise.
Other Ways to Say: Startle. Be jolted. Get a shock.
25. Heart in your mouth
Meaning: Feeling extreme fear or anxiety, as if your heart is stuck in your throat.
In a Sentence:
She had her heart in her mouth during the bumpy flight.
I had my heart in my mouth watching the cliff scene.
Other Ways to Say: Terrified. Tense. On edge.
26. Knees knocking
Meaning: Legs shaking so badly from fear that your knees knock together.
In a Sentence:
He had knees knocking while waiting for his turn.
Her knees were knocking at the top of the tower.
Other Ways to Say: Shaky legs. Trembling. Weak at the knees.
27. Hair stands on end
Meaning: Hair literally feels like it’s standing up due to fear or a chill.
In a Sentence:
The creepy story made my hair stand on end.
His hair stood on end when he heard the whisper.
Other Ways to Say: Goosebumps. Spine-tingling. Shiver.
28. Goosebumps
Meaning: Small bumps on your skin when you feel cold, afraid, or excited.
In a Sentence:
I got goosebumps hearing that ghost story.
The dark alley gave me goosebumps.
Other Ways to Say: Chills. Skin crawling. Shivers.
29. Chills down the spine
Meaning: A cold, creepy sensation running along your back due to fear.
In a Sentence:
Her words sent chills down my spine.
The haunted house gave him chills down his spine.
Other Ways to Say: Shiver. Goosebumps. Spooky feeling.
30. Freeze up
Meaning: Becoming unable to move or react because of fear.
In a Sentence:
I froze up when I saw the snake.
He completely froze up during the fire drill.
Other Ways to Say: Be paralyzed. Stiffen. Be rooted to the spot.
31. Jump out of your skin
Meaning: To be extremely startled or scared suddenly.
In a Sentence:
I nearly jumped out of my skin when the door slammed.
She jumped out of her skin when the phone rang in the silence.
Other Ways to Say: Be startled. Be shocked. Be jolted.
32. Heebie-jeebies
Meaning: A strange, uncomfortable feeling of fear or nervousness.
In a Sentence:
That abandoned house gives me the heebie-jeebies.
He got the heebie-jeebies walking alone at night.
Other Ways to Say: Creeps. Jitters. Spooked.
33. Like a deer in headlights
Meaning: Frozen in fear, unable to react, especially in surprise or danger.
In a Sentence:
He stood like a deer in headlights when the teacher called on him.
She froze like a deer in headlights when the alarm went off.
Other Ways to Say: Petrified. Paralyzed. Stunned.
34. Scream your head off
Meaning: To scream loudly and uncontrollably out of fear or panic.
In a Sentence:
The kids screamed their heads off on the roller coaster.
She screamed her head off when she saw the spider.
Other Ways to Say: Shriek. Yell. Cry out.
35. Scared out of your socks
Meaning: Extremely frightened, often in a humorous way.
In a Sentence:
The horror movie scared me out of my socks.
He was scared out of his socks when the prank started.
Other Ways to Say: Terrified. Spooked. Freaked out.
Related Post: 50 Idioms for Shock That Capture Emotion
36. Bolt upright
Meaning: To sit up very quickly and stiffly because of sudden fear or surprise.
In a Sentence:
He sat bolt upright after hearing the loud crash.
She bolted upright from her nap when the alarm rang.
Other Ways to Say: Jerk awake. Sit up suddenly. Be startled awake.
37. Jump at your own shadow
Meaning: To be so nervous that even harmless things scare you.
In a Sentence:
He was so tense he kept jumping at his own shadow.
She jumped at her own shadow after watching that thriller.
Other Ways to Say: Be jumpy. Be skittish. Be overly nervous.
38. Heart in your boots
Meaning: Feeling deep fear, as if your heart has sunk.
In a Sentence:
My heart was in my boots before the final exam.
She had her heart in her boots when the boss called her in.
Other Ways to Say: Be anxious. Be uneasy. Feel dread.
39. Freak out
Meaning: To panic or react wildly because of fear or anxiety.
In a Sentence:
He freaked out when he lost his wallet.
She totally freaked out after seeing the snake.
Other Ways to Say: Panic. Lose it. Meltdown.
40. Get the willies
Meaning: To feel a creepy or spooky sensation without a clear reason.
In a Sentence:
That empty building gives me the willies.
I always get the willies walking through the woods at night.
Other Ways to Say: Get creeped out. Feel spooked. Be uneasy.
41. Afraid of your own shadow
Meaning: To be extremely nervous or fearful, even of harmless things.
In a Sentence:
He’s so timid he’s afraid of his own shadow.
She seemed afraid of her own shadow after the incident.
Other Ways to Say: Overly cautious. Easily frightened. Nervous wreck.
42. Fear the worst
Meaning: To expect that the worst possible outcome will happen.
In a Sentence:
When he didn’t answer, I feared the worst.
We feared the worst when we heard about the accident.
Other Ways to Say: Expect disaster. Be pessimistic. Worry deeply.
43. Afraid
Meaning: A general state of fear or apprehension about something.
In a Sentence:
He’s afraid of flying.
She’s afraid something bad will happen.
Other Ways to Say: Scared. Frightened. Worried.
44. Live in fear
Meaning: To be constantly fearful, usually because of ongoing danger or anxiety.
In a Sentence:
They live in fear of eviction.
She lived in fear after the threats.
Other Ways to Say: Be anxious. Be on edge. Feel unsafe.
45. Paranoid
Meaning: To be overly suspicious or fearful, often without good reason.
In a Sentence:
He’s paranoid about people watching him.
She became paranoid after the break-in.
Other Ways to Say: Overly suspicious. Fearful. Nervous.
46. Scared for your life
Meaning: To be extremely afraid that your life is in danger.
In a Sentence:
He was scared for his life during the robbery.
She felt scared for her life when the storm hit.
Other Ways to Say: Terrified. In fear of death. Frozen with fear.
47. Have a bad feeling
Meaning: A sense of unease that something bad is going to happen.
In a Sentence:
I have a bad feeling about this trip.
She had a bad feeling before signing the contract.
Other Ways to Say: Sense Doom. Feel uneasy. Be apprehensive.
48. Tiptoe around
Meaning: To act carefully and cautiously because of fear of upsetting someone or something.
In a Sentence:
We had to tiptoe around the topic to avoid upsetting him.
She tiptoed around her boss all week.
Other Ways to Say: Be cautious. Walk on eggshells. Move carefully.
49. Walk on eggshells
Meaning: To be very careful in words and actions to avoid conflict.
In a Sentence:
Everyone walked on eggshells after the argument.
He’s walking on eggshells at home these days.
Other Ways to Say: Be extra careful. Tread lightly. Be sensitive.
50. Haunted by fear
Meaning: To be constantly troubled or obsessed with fear, unable to escape it.
In a Sentence:
She was haunted by fear after the attack.
His eyes showed he was haunted by fear.
Other Ways to Say: Tormented by anxiety. Consumed by dread. Plagued by worry.
Exercise to practice
- I __________ when the unexpected phone call came in the middle of the night.
- They were __________ while waiting to hear the verdict.
- His hands __________ after seeing the shadow move across the wall.
- She __________ before stepping on stage for the performance.
- That haunted house __________ on our tour last Halloween.
- He __________ when the dog suddenly barked at him.
- We were __________ as the thunderstorm got closer.
- My heart __________ when I heard someone whisper my name.
- They were __________ after getting lost in the forest.
- I __________ after watching that creepy movie alone.
Answer
- jumped out of my skin
- on pins and needles
- shook like a leaf
- had butterflies in her stomach
- scared the hell out of us
- was scared stiff
- on edge
- skipped a beat
- scared out of their wits
- had goosebumps
Conclusion
With idioms for scared, fear becomes more than a feeling—it turns into clear pictures and sharp emotions. These phrases let you describe moments of fright in a way that’s easy to understand and hard to forget.
Try weaving two or three into your next story or chat to bring your words to life. Have a favorite way to express fear? Share your ideas in the comments!
Danny Weber is a language enthusiast and freelance writer with a passion for unpacking the beauty of idioms and metaphors. Through years of research and creative exploration, Danny helps readers understand the deeper meanings behind familiar phrases—making figurative language feel accessible, engaging, and alive. Whether he’s decoding classic sayings or crafting new twists on old expressions, Danny’s work invites you to see language with fresh eyes.
