35 Idioms for Best

Everyone gets scared now and then, whether it’s a harmless jump scare from a horror movie or a real-life moment of panic. But sometimes, expressing fear doesn’t require just saying “I’m scared.” Instead, you can spice up your language with some fun and colorful idioms that convey fear in a more vivid way. If you’re looking to add some personality to your expressions, here are 45 idioms for scared, each with its own meaning, example, and alternative ways to say it.

Table of Contents

Idioms for Scared

1. Scared stiff

Meaning: Completely frozen or paralyzed by fear.
In a Sentence: The sudden crash of thunder made her scared stiff, and she couldn’t move.
Other Ways to Say: Frozen with fear, petrified, terrified.

2. Jump out of one’s skin

Meaning: To be extremely startled or frightened.
In a Sentence: He jumped out of his skin when he heard the loud bang in the night.
Other Ways to Say: Jump in fright, flinch, startle.

3. White as a ghost

Meaning: To look pale because of fear or shock.
In a Sentence: She was white as a ghost after hearing the news about the accident.
Other Ways to Say: Pale as a sheet, ghostly pale, ashen-faced.

4. Cold feet

Meaning: To suddenly become nervous or scared, especially before a big event.
In a Sentence: He got cold feet before his speech and couldn’t go through with it.
Other Ways to Say: Second thoughts, hesitation, nerves.

5. Shaking like a leaf

Meaning: Trembling or shaking from fear.
In a Sentence: She was shaking like a leaf when she heard the footsteps behind her.
Other Ways to Say: Trembling, quivering, nervous jitters.

6. Have the jitters

Meaning: To feel nervous or anxious, often due to fear.
In a Sentence: He had the jitters before his first big game.
Other Ways to Say: Nerves, anxiety, butterflies in the stomach.

7. Like a deer in headlights

Meaning: To be stunned or frozen in fear, not knowing how to react.
In a Sentence: When the teacher called on him, he was like a deer in headlights, too scared to answer.
Other Ways to Say: Stunned, dazed, frozen.

8. Heart in one’s mouth

Meaning: To feel intense fear or nervousness.
In a Sentence: Her heart was in her mouth as she waited for the test results.
Other Ways to Say: On edge, nervous, anxious.

9. Scared to death

Meaning: Extremely frightened.
In a Sentence: I was scared to death when I heard the door slam in the middle of the night.
Other Ways to Say: Terrified, petrified, horrified.

10. In a cold sweat

Meaning: To be sweating due to fear or anxiety.
In a Sentence: He woke up in a cold sweat after having a nightmare.
Other Ways to Say: Sweating bullets, panicking, having a meltdown.

11. Get the chills

Meaning: To experience a feeling of fear or nervousness.
In a Sentence: She got the chills when she heard the eerie noise coming from the attic.
Other Ways to Say: Goosebumps, creeped out, shivers.

12. Put the fear of God in someone

Meaning: To frighten someone greatly.
In a Sentence: The movie put the fear of God in me, and I couldn’t sleep for days.
Other Ways to Say: Terrify, spook, shock.

13. Skin crawls

Meaning: To feel extremely uncomfortable or frightened, often due to something creepy.
In a Sentence: The thought of spiders makes my skin crawl.
Other Ways to Say: Creeped out, shudder, get the heebie-jeebies.

14. Jump out of your skin

Meaning: To be startled by something sudden or unexpected.
In a Sentence: He jumped out of his skin when the loud horn honked.
Other Ways to Say: Startled, shocked, frightened.

15. Break into a sweat

Meaning: To begin sweating due to nervousness or fear.
In a Sentence: She broke into a sweat when she saw the scary figure in the shadows.
Other Ways to Say: Sweating nervously, getting anxious, panicking.

16. Feel like you’re walking on eggshells

Meaning: To feel nervous or fearful about doing something, as though you could make a mistake easily.
In a Sentence: I felt like I was walking on eggshells during the tense meeting.
Other Ways to Say: On edge, anxious, nervous.

17. Hair standing on end

Meaning: A physical reaction to fear, where one’s hair seems to stand up.
In a Sentence: The horror story gave me goosebumps, and my hair was standing on end.
Other Ways to Say: Shivers down your spine, chilling, terrified.

18. Nervous wreck

Meaning: Someone who is extremely anxious or scared.
In a Sentence: She became a nervous wreck before her big presentation.
Other Ways to Say: Jittery, anxious, stressed.

19. Spooked out

Meaning: To be frightened or unsettled by something.
In a Sentence: That creepy sound in the woods really spooked me out.
Other Ways to Say: Creeped out, scared, frightened.

20. Frozen in fear

Meaning: To be unable to move because of intense fear.
In a Sentence: He was frozen in fear when the lion came closer.
Other Ways to Say: Paralyzed, immobilized, rooted to the spot.

21. Clutching at straws

Meaning: To be desperately seeking a way to escape fear or danger.
In a Sentence: In the face of the storm, we were clutching at straws, hoping to find shelter.
Other Ways to Say: Desperate, flailing, panicking.

22. Biting one’s nails

Meaning: To show anxiety or fear by chewing on your nails.
In a Sentence: She was biting her nails during the scary movie scene.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous, anxious, on edge.

23. On pins and needles

Meaning: To feel very anxious or scared while waiting for something to happen.
In a Sentence: He was on pins and needles waiting for his exam results.
Other Ways to Say: Anxious, nervous, restless.

24. Sweating bullets

Meaning: To sweat a lot due to fear or stress.
In a Sentence: I was sweating bullets as I waited for the boss to call me in.
Other Ways to Say: Sweating nervously, in a panic, stressed out.

25. Be in the hot seat

Meaning: To be in a difficult or uncomfortable position, often due to fear of being judged or punished.
In a Sentence: He was in the hot seat during the interrogation, trying not to give anything away.
Other Ways to Say: Under pressure, in trouble, in a tight spot.

26. The fear of the unknown

Meaning: To feel anxious or scared because of uncertainty about the future or what’s to come.
In a Sentence: The fear of the unknown kept her from taking the job offer in another city.
Other Ways to Say: Anxiety about uncertainty, worried about the future, dread of change.

27. On the edge of your seat

Meaning: To be very anxious or excited, often from fear.
In a Sentence: The suspense in the movie had me on the edge of my seat.
Other Ways to Say: Anxious, excited, nervously awaiting.

28. To get cold sweat

Meaning: To feel extremely anxious or frightened, typically resulting in sweating.
In a Sentence: He got a cold sweat when he realized he was late for the interview.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous, panicking, distressed.

29. Heart skips a beat

Meaning: To feel sudden fear or excitement.
In a Sentence: My heart skipped a beat when I heard the door creak open at night.
Other Ways to Say: Jolt of fear, heart races, sudden shock.

30. Get the shakes

Meaning: To physically shake from fear or nervousness.
In a Sentence: He got the shakes before his big performance, nervous about being on stage.
Other Ways to Say: Trembling, shivering, jittery.

31. To have butterflies in one’s stomach

Meaning: To feel nervous or anxious, often before an important event.
In a Sentence: She had butterflies in her stomach before stepping onto the stage for her first performance.
Other Ways to Say: Feel jittery, anxious, nervous.

32. Freak out

Meaning: To become very anxious, scared, or lose control due to fear.
In a Sentence: He started to freak out when he couldn’t find his passport before the trip.
Other Ways to Say: Panic, lose it, have a meltdown.

33. Bite the dust

Meaning: To die or be defeated, often due to fear or danger.
In a Sentence: The knight bit the dust in the battle after facing the mighty dragon.
Other Ways to Say: Perish, meet one’s end, go down.

34. Nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof

Meaning: To be extremely nervous, agitated, or restless.
In a Sentence: He was as nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof before the job interview.
Other Ways to Say: Anxious, fidgety, on edge.

35. To feel the heat

Meaning: To feel pressure or fear due to a difficult situation.
In a Sentence: She could feel the heat as her boss started questioning her about the project.
Other Ways to Say: Be under pressure, be stressed, face the music.

36. A bundle of nerves

Meaning: To feel tense, anxious, or extremely nervous.
In a Sentence: She was a bundle of nerves before the big exam.
Other Ways to Say: On edge, jittery, anxious.

37. To be in a tizzy

Meaning: To be in a state of nervous confusion or agitation.
In a Sentence: He was in a tizzy after losing his wallet right before the meeting.
Other Ways to Say: Flustered, rattled, stressed.

38. A rabbit in the headlights

Meaning: To be stunned or paralyzed by fear, unable to move or react.
In a Sentence: When the boss asked him about the report, he looked like a rabbit in the headlights.
Other Ways to Say: Frozen with fear, caught off guard, stunned.

39. To jump at shadows

Meaning: To be overly frightened or paranoid about things that aren’t real threats.
In a Sentence: She kept jumping at shadows, imagining burglars every time she heard a noise.
Other Ways to Say: Be paranoid, overreact, be jumpy.

40. To be in the deep end

Meaning: To be in a difficult or dangerous situation, often feeling scared or overwhelmed.
In a Sentence: He realized he was in the deep end when he was given the responsibility to lead the meeting.
Other Ways to Say: In hot water, out of your depth, in trouble.

41. To be a nervous Nellie

Meaning: To be overly anxious or prone to getting scared or worried.
In a Sentence: She’s such a nervous Nellie; she gets scared just by watching horror movies.
Other Ways to Say: Worrywart, anxious person, jittery.

42. To be scared out of one’s wits

Meaning: To be frightened beyond belief, often to the point of losing one’s composure.
In a Sentence: I was scared out of my wits when I saw the shadow in the alley.
Other Ways to Say: Terrified, frightened to death, petrified.

43. To shake in one’s boots

Meaning: To be extremely frightened, often visibly.
In a Sentence: He was shaking in his boots as he walked into the haunted house.
Other Ways to Say: Tremble, quiver, shake in fear.

44. To get cold feet

Meaning: To suddenly become scared or nervous, especially before an important event or commitment.
In a Sentence: She got cold feet right before saying her wedding vows.
Other Ways to Say: Hesitate, get second thoughts, back out.

45. To make one’s blood run cold

Meaning: To frighten or shock someone, often with something horrifying.
In a Sentence: The ghost story made my blood run cold, and I couldn’t sleep afterward.
Other Ways to Say: Terrify, chill, send shivers down one’s spine.

MCQs Quiz On Idioms for Scared

1. What does the idiom “to have butterflies in one’s stomach” mean?

a) To feel joyful and excited
b) To feel nervous or anxious
c) To feel very hungry
d) To feel confident

Answer: b) To feel nervous or anxious

2. Which idiom means to lose control due to fear or anxiety?

a) Freak out
b) Get cold feet
c) Make one’s blood run cold
d) To shake in one’s boots

Answer: a) Freak out

3. What does “bite the dust” refer to?

a) To survive a tough situation
b) To feel nervous
c) To die or be defeated
d) To give up easily

Answer: c) To die or be defeated

4. If someone is “nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof,” how are they feeling?

a) Calm and collected
b) Extremely nervous and restless
c) In a deep sleep
d) Very excited

Answer: b) Extremely nervous and restless

5. What does “to feel the heat” imply?

a) To enjoy the sunshine
b) To feel pressure or fear
c) To feel warmth from others
d) To be in a comfortable situation

Answer: b) To feel pressure or fear

6. If someone is described as “a bundle of nerves,” what does it mean?

a) They are calm and composed
b) They are very nervous or anxious
c) They are excited and happy
d) They are physically fit

Answer: b) They are very nervous or anxious

7. What does “to be in a tizzy” mean?

a) To be relaxed and happy
b) To be in a state of nervous confusion
c) To feel very excited
d) To be extremely confident

Answer: b) To be in a state of nervous confusion

8. A person who is “like a rabbit in the headlights” is likely:

a) Very brave
b) Confused or paralyzed by fear
c) Feeling excited
d) Walking confidently

Answer: b) Confused or paralyzed by fear

9. “To jump at shadows” refers to:

a) Overreacting to harmless things
b) Enjoying the outdoors
c) Finding something exciting
d) Relaxing and having fun

Answer: a) Overreacting to harmless things

10. If someone is “in the deep end,” they are:

a) In a difficult or overwhelming situation
b) Swimming calmly
c) In a relaxing situation
d) Having a great time

Answer: a) In a difficult or overwhelming situation

11. Who would be described as a “nervous Nellie”?

a) Someone who is very brave
b) Someone who is overly anxious
c) Someone who is very confident
d) Someone who is always happy

Answer: b) Someone who is overly anxious

12. If someone is “scared out of their wits,” they are:

a) Very happy
b) Terrified or frightened beyond belief
c) Excited beyond measure
d) Calm and collected

Answer: b) Terrified or frightened beyond belief

13. What does “to shake in one’s boots” mean?

a) To be extremely frightened
b) To be excited about something
c) To be cold
d) To feel confident

Answer: a) To be extremely frightened

14. If someone “gets cold feet,” they:

a) Are very enthusiastic
b) Become scared or nervous before an event
c) Are relaxed and calm
d) Feel confident in their decisions

Answer: b) Become scared or nervous before an event

15. What does the idiom “to make one’s blood run cold” mean?

a) To feel a sense of excitement
b) To frighten or shock someone
c) To feel calm and relaxed
d) To warm up in cold weather

Answer: b) To frighten or shock someone

Final Words

In conclusion, idioms for scared capture various emotional states. They provide vivid, relatable expressions for fear and anxiety. These idioms enrich our language and communication. Understanding them helps convey emotions effectively in conversation.

The 30 idioms for scared show different ways fear manifests. From “butterflies in your stomach” to “scared out of wits,” each phrase paints a unique picture. Using idioms adds depth and creativity to everyday speech. They reflect how deeply fear can impact our emotions.

James tony