Scared

Part of speech: adjective, verb

Pronunciation: /skɛəd/

Definitions

1. Feeling an intense emotion characterized by fear or dread in response to potential danger or harm
2. Experiencing a state of apprehension or fear triggered by an imminent threat or startling event
3. Experiencing a strong emotion of fear caused by perceived danger or threat

Etymology: "Scared" is simply the past tense and past participle of the verb "scare," with the "-ed" ending that English has long used to mark completed actions. Its adjective sense, "feeling fear," grew naturally out of the verb: a person who has been scared is left in the state the scare produced. The verb "scare" itself comes from the Old Norse root behind "skirr," meaning "timid," a link that connects it to the old northern language brought into England by Scandinavian settlers. Because "scared" is a regular inflection, its history mostly belongs to the verb it comes from. Its sound has stayed steady across centuries, and it now sits in everyday speech as the ordinary way to describe the feeling of being frightened.

Synonyms: frightened, afraid, terrified, alarmed, startled

Antonyms: calm, brave, unafraid, confident, assured