English pronunciation · Words Starting with S

Scared Pronunciation

Scared is pronounced SKERD, IPA /ˈskɛrd/.

SKERD

US /ˈskɛrd/  ·  UK /ˈskeəd/

Syllables: SKERD (1 syllable)

adjective and verb: Frightened, or made frightened by something.

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Scared in a Sentence

  • The dog is scared of the hoover.
  • I was too scared to look down.
  • A car horn scared the birds off the roof.

Common Mispronunciations of Scared

Not SKAY-red

One syllable in ordinary use. The ed adds nothing but a d, because English only makes it a separate beat after a t or d.

Not SKARD

The a before r here is the air of care, not the ah of car. Flattening it produces scarred, which means marked by a scar.

Tip: Scared and scarred differ only in that vowel, and both come up in the same sorts of sentences.

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