1 A2 neutral
(Literal) To cause an animal or person to flee by frightening them.
"The farmer put up a scarecrow to scare away the crows from his crops."
separable
scare away
A2 neutral separable transitive
To cause a person or animal to leave by frightening them.
In plain English
To make someone or something run away because you scared them.
What does "scare away" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
(Figurative) To deter someone from participating, investing, or engaging by making something seem frightening or off-putting.
"The high prices scared away many potential buyers at the auction."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To frighten something so it goes away — transparent.
Actually means
To make someone or something run away because you scared them.
Usage tip
Interchangeable with 'scare off' in most contexts. Used literally (animals fleeing) and figuratively (deterring potential customers, investors, partners). Very common in everyday speech.
Words that pair with "scare away"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
birds customers investors children wildlife competitors
How to conjugate "scare away"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
scare away
I/you/we/they
3rd person
scares away
he/she/it
Past simple
scared away
yesterday
Past participle
scared away
have + pp
-ing form
scaring away
continuous
Hear "scare away" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "scare away" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.