scare stories
Exaggerated danger warnings
Scare stories are alarming accounts meant to frighten people, often exaggerated or unsubstantiated warnings about dangers: The tabloids ran scare stories about vaccines.
The term usually implies skepticism—that the fears are overblown or manufactured: Don't believe the scare stories; the neighborhood is perfectly safe.
- alarmistOne who overstates threats
- bogeymanImaginary childhood terror
- rumorsUnconfirmed circulating stories
- witch huntPersecuting supposed wrongdoers
- exaggerationOverstating beyond reality
urban legend · tales · sensationalism · shock value · moral panic · catastrophizing · tabloid · disinformation · rumormonger · tall tales · fearmongering · fear campaign · yellow journalism · fake news · intimidation · cautionary tale · ghost · mass hysteria
scare storiesreassurance
Words meant to calm
reassurances · success stories · puff pieces · good news · positive spin
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