scared to death
Paralyzed by fear
Scared to death means extremely frightened—so terrified that death seems plausible as a consequence: The noise in the basement scared me to death.
The phrase is hyperbolic; no one expects actual death.
It intensifies fear beyond ordinary fright.
I was scared to death before my first solo flight.
- terrifiedExtremely frightened
- afraidExperiencing dread or worry
- petrifiedSolidified or fear-paralyzed
- frightenedExperiencing sudden fear
- shitlessSlang intensifier for fear
trembling · shaking like a leaf · panicked · horrified · terror · dread · existential dread · fear · alarmed · on edge · fight-or-flight response · horror · spooked · deer in headlights · white as a sheet · phobia · goosebumps · ghastly
- death idiomsdead end, dead serious, dead wrong, dead tired, dead weight
- Hyperbolea zillion, bazillion, gazillion, bajillion, zillion
scared to deathfearless
Lacking any apprehension
unafraid · calm · composed · brave · cool as a cucumber
scared to deathoverjoyed
Extremely pleased, intensely glad
exhilarated · on top of the world · elated · ecstatic · euphoric
scared to deatheager
Intensely wanting something
enthusiastic · exhilarated · pumped up · raring to go · champing at the bit