1 B1 idiomatic neutral
To use fear or intimidation to compel someone to do something.
"The landlord tried to scare the tenants into leaving by making false claims about the building."
inseparable
scare into
B1 neutral inseparable transitive
To use fear or threats to make someone do something against their will.
In plain English
To frighten someone so much that they agree to do something they might not want to do.
What does "scare into" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
To use alarming information or warnings to push someone into taking an action.
"The doctor didn't want to scare patients into making hasty decisions about surgery."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To frighten someone into a state or action — partially transparent.
Actually means
To frighten someone so much that they agree to do something they might not want to do.
Usage tip
Always followed by a gerund or noun phrase (e.g., 'scare someone into signing', 'scare into submission'). Implies coercion and often carries a negative, critical tone about the person doing the scaring.
Words that pair with "scare into"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
compliance submission signing silence confession action
How to conjugate "scare into"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
scare into
I/you/we/they
3rd person
scares into
he/she/it
Past simple
scared into
yesterday
Past participle
scared into
have + pp
-ing form
scaring into
continuous
Hear "scare into" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "scare into" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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