How to pronounce scare
Say it like SKAIR. Scare is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce scare. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SKAIR
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Scare pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SKAIRSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of scare
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: SKAIR.
What does scare mean?
- cause fear in“The stranger who hangs around the building frightens me”“Ghosts could never affright her”
- cause to lose courage“dashed by the refusal”
- sudden mass fear and anxiety over anticipated events“panic in the stock market”“a war scare”
- a sudden attack of fear
Where does scare come from?
From Middle English sker, skere (“terror, fright”), from the verb Middle English skerren (“to frighten”) (see below).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with scare
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of scare.
Questions about saying scare
How do you pronounce scare?
Say SKAIR. The American pronunciation is /skɛr/. In British English it is /skɛə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in scare?
Scare is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SKAIR.
Is scare pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /skɛə/ (SKAIR).