# scary

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈskɛə.ɹi/ · frequency rank #3,845

## Definitions
1. Causing fear or anxiety
2. Uncannily striking or surprising.
3. Subject to sudden alarm; easily frightened.

## Etymology
From scare + -y.

## Easily confused with
- **sry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scary-vs-sry)
- **stay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scary-vs-stay)
- **star** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scary-vs-star)
- **sway** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scary-vs-sway)
- **soar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scary-vs-soar)
- **slay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scary-vs-slay)
- **shay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scary-vs-shay)
- **spar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scary-vs-spar)
- **scat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scary-vs-scat)
- **sear** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scary-vs-sear)
- **start** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scary-vs-start)
- **story** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scary-vs-story)
- **share** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scary-vs-share)
- **sorry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scary-vs-sorry)
- **stars** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scary-vs-stars)
- **score** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scary-vs-score)
- **smart** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scary-vs-smart)
- **sharp** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scary-vs-sharp)
- **spare** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scary-vs-spare)
- **shark** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scary-vs-shark)

## Common misspellings (8)
`csary`, `sacry`, `scarry`, `scaryy`, `scayr`, `sccary`, `scray`, `sscary`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/scary