Cool MateNightmare vs Scare
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Nightmare
Top 2,000 (common)B2noun
Scare
Top 1,000 (very common)B2verb
Most common: Scare
| Nightmare | Scare | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈnaɪtmeə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈnaɪtmer/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/skeə(r)/","/skeəz/","/skeəd/","/ˈskeərɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/sker/","/skerz/","/skerd/","/ˈskerɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | A very bad dream that makes you feel scared or worried. | to make someone feel afraid |
| Example | After watching that horror movie, I had a nightmare about being chased by monsters. | You scared me. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | B2 |
| Part of speech | noun | verb |
| Collocations | awful, horrible, terrible, have, suffer, suffer from, haunt somebody, plague somebody, nightmare about, awful, horrible, real, endure, face, live, be over, come true, scenario, vision, world | really, easily, away, try to, want to, start to, into, with, scare somebody silly, scare somebody stiff, scare somebody to death, really, easily, away, try to, want to, start to, into, with, scare somebody silly, scare somebody stiff, scare somebody to death |
| Antonyms | dream, wonder | calm, comfort, soothe |
| Common mistakes | Confusing nightmare with daydream., Using nightmare in place of dream without context., Mispronouncing it as 'night-mayer'. | Using 'scare' without an object, e.g., 'scare me' instead of 'scare me with a story'., Confusing 'scare' with 'scared', where 'scared' describes a state of fear rather than the action of causing fear., Mispronouncing it as 'scar' instead of 'scare'. |
| Usage notes | Use 'nightmare' to describe scary dreams or difficult experiences. It is usually neutral but can be used informally. Avoid using it in formal contexts. | Use 'scare' in contexts where someone is frightened. It can be informal in casual conversations but remains neutral overall. Avoid using it in formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: Nightmare vs Scare
What's the difference between Nightmare and Scare?
Nightmare: A very bad dream that makes you feel scared or worried. Scare: to make someone feel afraid
Which is more common: Nightmare and Scare?
Scare is the most common in everyday English.
Are Nightmare and Scare the same CEFR level?
Nightmare: B2, Scare: B2 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Nightmare and Scare?
Nightmare: noun, Scare: verb.
Can you show an example of each?
Nightmare: After watching that horror movie, I had a nightmare about being chased by monsters. Scare: You scared me.
Can I use Nightmare and Scare interchangeably?
Not always. Nightmare and Scare are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.