Idioms are fascinating parts of our language that give ordinary conversations more personality and emotion. They allow us to describe feelings—like fear—in unique, vivid ways that go far beyond simply saying “I’m scared.” Whether you’re trembling before a big test or nervous about trying something new, idioms can help you explain those feelings in a fun and relatable way.
For anyone learning English or simply looking to expand their vocabulary, fear-related idioms are a must-know. They show up in movies, books, and everyday chats. Understanding them not only boosts your language skills but also helps you connect better with others. In this article, we’ll explore fifty expressive idioms that all relate to feeling scared, worried, or uneasy—each with a clear meaning, example sentence, and similar expressions you can try out. Let’s step into the spooky side of language and see how people talk about fear!
Idioms for Scared
1. Scared stiff
Meaning: So frightened that you can’t move or think clearly.
In a Sentence: When I saw the shadow moving outside my window, I was scared stiff and couldn’t even call for help.
Other Ways to Say: Frozen with fear, Paralyzed with fright
2. Jump out of your skin
Meaning: To be extremely startled or shocked.
In a Sentence: I nearly jumped out of my skin when the fire alarm suddenly went off during the exam.
Other Ways to Say: Get startled, Be jolted by surprise
3. Have butterflies in your stomach
Meaning: To feel nervous or anxious, especially before something important.
In a Sentence: Right before I stepped on stage to give my speech, I had butterflies in my stomach and couldn’t stop fidgeting.
Other Ways to Say: Feel jittery, Be nervous inside
4. Shaking like a leaf
Meaning: Trembling because you’re very scared or nervous.
In a Sentence: He was shaking like a leaf while waiting for the dentist to call his name.
Other Ways to Say: Tremble with fear, Shiver nervously
5. Get cold feet
Meaning: To suddenly feel too nervous or frightened to do something planned.
In a Sentence: I was all ready to bungee jump, but I got cold feet and backed out at the last second.
Other Ways to Say: Lose courage, Back out
6. Break into a cold sweat
Meaning: To start sweating from fear or anxiety.
In a Sentence: I broke into a cold sweat when the teacher called on me to explain the answer in front of the whole class.
Other Ways to Say: Sweat from panic, Get anxious
7. Hair stood on end
Meaning: A physical reaction where your hair seems to rise because of fear.
In a Sentence: The haunted house was so creepy that my hair stood on end with every step I took inside.
Other Ways to Say: Feel terrified, Get goosebumps
8. White as a ghost
Meaning: Someone looks very pale because they’re frightened or shocked.
In a Sentence: After hearing the loud bang, she turned white as a ghost and couldn’t speak for a few seconds.
Other Ways to Say: Pale with fear, Ashen-faced
9. Heart in your mouth
Meaning: Feeling extremely anxious, scared, or nervous.
In a Sentence: My heart was in my mouth as I waited for the final grades to be posted online.
Other Ways to Say: Full of dread, Very nervous
10. Goosebumps
Meaning: Small bumps on your skin caused by cold or fear.
In a Sentence: I got goosebumps just listening to that eerie music playing in the dark hallway.
Other Ways to Say: Skin tingling with fear, Chill from fright
11. Freak out
Meaning: To suddenly become very scared, upset, or panicked.
In a Sentence: I completely freaked out when I realized I had lost my phone in the middle of the concert crowd.
Other Ways to Say: Panic, Lose control
12. Scare the daylights out of someone
Meaning: To frighten someone severely.
In a Sentence: That horror movie scared the daylights out of me—I couldn’t even sleep afterward!
Other Ways to Say: Terrify someone, Give a big scare
13. Feel your blood run cold
Meaning: To feel extreme fear or dread.
In a Sentence: When I heard footsteps behind me in the empty hallway, I felt my blood run cold.
Other Ways to Say: Feel intense fear, Be chilled with fright
14. Be scared out of your wits
Meaning: To be so frightened that you can’t think clearly.
In a Sentence: I was scared out of my wits when I saw a snake slithering across the hiking path.
Other Ways to Say: Terrified, In a state of panic
15. Be a bundle of nerves
Meaning: To be extremely nervous or anxious.
In a Sentence: Before my driving test, I was a complete bundle of nerves and could hardly stop shaking.
Other Ways to Say: Be tense, Feel anxious all over
16. Lose your nerve
Meaning: To become too afraid to do something you planned.
In a Sentence: I wanted to ask her to dance, but I lost my nerve and just stood there.
Other Ways to Say: Get scared, Back out suddenly
17. Your heart skips a beat
Meaning: A sudden feeling of fear, shock, or excitement.
In a Sentence: My heart skipped a beat when I saw the police lights flashing behind my car.
Other Ways to Say: Sudden shock, Brief panic
18. On edge
Meaning: Feeling tense, nervous, or easily startled.
In a Sentence: I was so on edge during the thunderstorm that even the tiniest sound made me jump.
Other Ways to Say: Tense, Uneasy
19. Spooked
Meaning: Suddenly frightened, usually in a jumpy or nervous way.
In a Sentence: The strange noise coming from the attic spooked me out enough to grab a flashlight and investigate.
Other Ways to Say: Creeped out, Alarmed
20. Creeped out
Meaning: Feeling weirded out or scared by something strange or disturbing.
In a Sentence: I was totally creeped out by the lifelike mannequins in the old store window.
Other Ways to Say: Grossed out, Disturbed by fear
21. Afraid of your own shadow
Meaning: So easily scared that even small things make you nervous.
In a Sentence: After watching that scary movie alone, I was afraid of my own shadow for the rest of the night.
Other Ways to Say: Super jumpy, Nervous all the time
22. Be in a cold sweat
Meaning: To sweat due to fear, anxiety, or panic.
In a Sentence: I was in a cold sweat when I realized I had submitted the wrong assignment file.
Other Ways to Say: Panic sweat, Break out nervously
23. Feel a chill down your spine
Meaning: A physical reaction to sudden fear, especially when something feels eerie or creepy.
In a Sentence: I felt a chill down my spine when the lights flickered and the wind howled outside.
Other Ways to Say: Get scared suddenly, Feel spooked
24. Make your blood curdle
Meaning: To cause intense fear or horror.
In a Sentence: The creepy laugh I heard in the empty hallway was enough to make my blood curdle.
Other Ways to Say: Horrify, Give the chills
25. Get the heebie-jeebies
Meaning: A funny or informal way to say something gives you a creepy or scared feeling.
In a Sentence: That old doll collection in the attic gives me the heebie-jeebies every time I see it.
Other Ways to Say: Feel weirded out, Be creeped out
26. Feel like a deer in the headlights
Meaning: To be so surprised or scared that you can’t move or respond.
In a Sentence: When the teacher called on me out of nowhere, I just froze like a deer in the headlights.
Other Ways to Say: Freeze in fear, Be stunned
27. Jumpy
Meaning: Easily startled by noises or sudden movements.
In a Sentence: I was so jumpy after the scary movie that I screamed when my phone buzzed.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous, On edge
28. Get a fright
Meaning: To suddenly feel scared or shocked.
In a Sentence: I got a fright when my cat suddenly jumped onto my lap in the dark.
Other Ways to Say: Get scared, Be startled
29. Give someone a fright
Meaning: To accidentally or intentionally scare someone.
In a Sentence: Don’t sneak up behind me like that—you gave me a fright!
Other Ways to Say: Scare someone, Startle
30. Eyes wide as saucers
Meaning: Eyes opened wide because of shock, fear, or surprise.
In a Sentence: Her eyes were as wide as saucers when she saw the giant spider crawling on the wall.
Other Ways to Say: Shocked, Terrified expression
31. Scare someone silly
Meaning: To frighten someone so much that they react in a dramatic or silly way.
In a Sentence: That prank video scared me silly—I actually screamed and dropped my snack!
Other Ways to Say: Terrify, Startle badly
32. Be frozen in fear
Meaning: To be so scared that you literally can’t move.
In a Sentence: I was frozen in fear when I heard footsteps in the dark basement.
Other Ways to Say: Paralyzed with fear, Too scared to move
33. Have a panic attack
Meaning: A sudden intense fear or anxiety that feels overwhelming.
In a Sentence: I thought I was fine, but when the plane started shaking, I had a full-on panic attack.
Other Ways to Say: Extreme fear reaction, Overwhelming anxiety
34. Your stomach drops
Meaning: A sudden sinking feeling of dread or fear.
In a Sentence: My stomach dropped when I heard my name being called for a surprise oral exam.
Other Ways to Say: Feel shocked, Be filled with dread
35. Get the creeps
Meaning: To feel uneasy or afraid, especially from something strange or spooky.
In a Sentence: That old, abandoned house gives me the creeps every time I walk past it.
Other Ways to Say: Feel weird, Be unnerved
36. Tremble with fear
Meaning: To shake because you’re so scared.
In a Sentence: I was trembling with fear as I waited for the haunted maze doors to open.
Other Ways to Say: Shake with fright, Be visibly nervous
37. Turn to jelly
Meaning: When your legs or body feel weak due to fear or nervousness.
In a Sentence: My legs turned to jelly when I saw the roller coaster drop for the first time.
Other Ways to Say: Feel weak, Lose strength from fear
38. Feel like running a mile
Meaning: To be so scared you just want to get away fast.
In a Sentence: When I heard the growl behind me, I felt like running a mile in the opposite direction.
Other Ways to Say: Want to escape, Try to flee
39. Can’t catch your breath
Meaning: Breathing becomes hard due to fear or panic.
In a Sentence: I couldn’t catch my breath after seeing that terrifying scene in the movie.
Other Ways to Say: Gasping, Breathless from fear
40. Be scared senseless
Meaning: To be so afraid that you can’t think straight.
In a Sentence: That loud bang in the middle of the night scared me senseless—I thought something had exploded.
Other Ways to Say: Terrified, Out of your mind with fear
41. Pulse racing
Meaning: Your heart beats very fast due to fear or excitement.
In a Sentence: My pulse was racing when I heard someone knocking on the door late at night.
Other Ways to Say: Heart pounding, Fast heartbeat from fear
42. Feel uneasy
Meaning: A general feeling that something is wrong or dangerous.
In a Sentence: I felt uneasy walking through the dark alley, even though I knew it was probably nothing.
Other Ways to Say: Feel unsettled, Be uncomfortable
43. Choke up
Meaning: To be so emotional or scared that you can’t speak.
In a Sentence: I started to choke up during the emergency drill because it reminded me of a real fire we had last year.
Other Ways to Say: Be speechless with fear, Get emotional
44. Heart pounding
Meaning: Feeling your heart beat hard and fast from fear or panic.
In a Sentence: My heart was pounding as I waited for my turn on the giant zipline.
Other Ways to Say: Racing heart, Fearful anticipation
45. Go weak at the knees
Meaning: To feel weak because you are scared or overwhelmed.
In a Sentence: I went weak at the knees when the roller coaster started moving up that first big hill.
Other Ways to Say: Feel faint, Lose strength from fear
46. Scare someone to death
Meaning: To frighten someone extremely.
In a Sentence: My brother jumped out from behind the door and scared me to death.
Other Ways to Say: Shock badly, Terrify completely
47. Feel trapped
Meaning: Feeling stuck or unable to escape a scary situation.
In a Sentence: I felt completely trapped during the elevator malfunction—it was the longest five minutes of my life.
Other Ways to Say: Feel stuck, Be helpless
48. Like walking on eggshells
Meaning: Acting very carefully out of fear of upsetting someone or making a mistake.
In a Sentence: Ever since Dad lost his job, we’ve been walking on eggshells around the house.
Other Ways to Say: Be overly cautious, Tread carefully
49. Get worked up
Meaning: To become increasingly nervous or scared about something.
In a Sentence: I got so worked up about the audition that I forgot my lines halfway through.
Other Ways to Say: Build up anxiety, Overthink and worry
50. Feel haunted
Meaning: When a scary memory or thought keeps coming back to you.
In a Sentence: I still feel haunted by the time I got locked inside the storage room at school.
Other Ways to Say: Troubled by fear, Can’t forget something scary
Exercise to Practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct idiom:
- The creepy whisper in the hallway made my hair _______ on end.
- I almost dropped my phone because I _______ out when the alarm went off.
- Before going on stage, my legs turned to _______ from how nervous I was.
- I felt a _______ down my spine as I read that ghost story.
- I couldn’t speak—I completely _______ up from fear.
- She was as white as a _______ after seeing the car crash.
- That spooky attic gave me the _______ every time I walked by.
- He was _______ like a leaf while waiting to get his shot.
- I totally lost my _______ when it was time to give my speech.
- That prank really scared the _______ out of me.
Answers:
stood, freaked, jelly, chill, choked, ghost, creeps, shaking, nerve, daylights
Conclusion
Idioms are a colorful and expressive way to bring language to life, especially when talking about emotions as intense as fear. Instead of just saying “I was scared,” you now have fifty different phrases that can help you describe exactly how you felt, whether you were frozen with fear, had your heart in your mouth, or got a case of the heebie-jeebies.
Keep practicing these idioms by using them in stories, conversations, or even your social media captions. The more you use them, the more natural they’ll become in your everyday speech. Language is all about expressing yourself clearly and creatively—and now you’ve got fifty new tools to do just that, even when you’re scared out of your wits.
