scared stiff
Frozen with terror
Scared stiff means extremely frightened—so terrified that one feels unable to move, as if frozen in place.
The stiff here functions as an intensifier, working the same way in bored stiff and frozen stiff.
I was scared stiff when I heard footsteps in the empty house.
- petrifiedSolidified or fear-paralyzed
- terrifiedExtremely frightened
- frightSudden intense fear
- terrorExtreme, overwhelming fear
- horrifiedIntensely shocked, disgusted
afraid · fearful · panic · cowed · spooked · blanched · paralysis · stock-still · alarmed · immobilized · white as a sheet · shaken · panic-stricken · deer in headlights · rooted to the spot · trembling · rooted · shaking like a leaf
scared stifffearless
Lacking any apprehension
unafraid · calm · unperturbed · composed · cool as a cucumber
scared stiffthrilled
Overjoyed beyond measure
elated · overjoyed · exhilarated · euphoric · ecstatic
scared stiffrelaxed
Free of stress
at ease · loose · comfortable · free and easy · loose as a goose
stiff, scare, scary, scared, stiffen, scarecrow, stiffness, scaring, scarer