scare away/off

phrasal verb

scared away/off; scaring away/off; scares away/off
: to cause (someone or something) to go away and stay away because of fear or because of possible trouble, difficulty, etc.
The dog scared the prowler away.
The noise scared off the birds.
Tourists have been scared off by the recent violence in the city.

Examples of scare away/off in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Sea cucumbers can eject part of their guts out of their mouth to scare off predators. Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2025 Black vultures who have been allowed to occupy a roost for a long time will be harder to scare away, says Pierce. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 18 Feb. 2025 This blitzkrieg-style defense is often enough to scare off even large predators, as a single envenomation can incapacitate within minutes. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025 Fearful Tesla drivers are asking Tesla to implement new tech features in the vehicle to scare off protesters, Fortune reports. Emily Forlini, PCMAG, 21 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for scare away/off

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Cite this Entry

“Scare away/off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scare%20away%2Foff. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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