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
  • Diego Gomez is a stop-gap alternative, but Mitoma remains a key figure who frightens opposing defences with his dribbling speed and influential record in the top flight.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • But what frightened me most was not death alone, but the idea of dying before my writings reached the world—that my story would disappear with me, and that my feelings, my memories, my identity, and my human experience would be erased.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of frighten
Verb
  • Ten sailors died in one attack, which has scared away nearly all international ships.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The exposure obviously scares him, but not enough to stop him from filming his next scene, where he’s been tasked with breaking in newcomer Cami Soul.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of scare
Verb
  • Spotify is terrifying much of the podcast industry with a tiny little widget.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Family members on the ground waiting for their kids to get off the ride were terrified as well, the girls said.
    — James Cirrone, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of terrify
Verb
  • The 10-episode first season (critics received six for review) opens in the early hours of the morning, when Anna is startled awake by a phone call.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Witness Hoon Chan Sim, 53, was sitting on a park lawn with his dog near West Drive when he was startled by the squeal of braking tires, and spun around to see the horrific collision.
    — Lincoln Anderson, New York Daily News, 25 July 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 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on scarify

Nglish: Translation of scarify for Spanish Speakers

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