scaredy-cat
Easily spooked person
A scaredy-cat is someone who is easily frightened or overly timid—a coward.
The term is childish and playful, typically used by or toward children: Don't be such a scaredy-cat, it's just a spider.
Adults use it teasingly rather than as genuine insult.
Person lacking bravery
- wimpTimid, feeble person
- chickenDomestic fowl for eating
- milquetoastMeek, unassertive person
- weaklingFeeble person
wuss · craven · yellowbelly · sissy · pushover · doormat · pansy · poltroon
Experiencing sudden fear
- spookedFrightened into alertness
- terrifiedExtremely frightened
- jumpyNervously reactive to stimuli
- skittishProne to nervous fright
startled · shaken · trembling · petrified · alarmed · panic-stricken · phobic · intimidated
Uneasy and apprehensive
- jitteryAnxiously restless
- worrywartHabitual fretter, informal
- edgyTense and irritable
- uneasyTroubled, not calm
antsy · fidgety · tense · apprehensive · panicky · overwrought · high-strung · neurotic
Excessively careful or wary
- waryGuardedly alert
- guardedWary and restrained
- risk-aversePreferring safety over uncertainty
- skittishProne to nervous fright
Reserved and retiring
- meekHumbly unassertive
- mousyShy and unassertive
- bashfulUncomfortably self-conscious
- sheepishEmbarrassed and timid
shrinking violet · retiring · diffident · unassertive · self-effacing · hesitant · tentative · withdrawn
coward
Person lacking bravery
- wimpTimid, feeble person
- chickenDomestic fowl for eating
- milquetoastMeek, unassertive person
weakling · wuss · craven · yellowbelly · sissy · pushover · doormat · pansy · poltroon · spineless
frightened
Experiencing sudden fear
skittish · startled · shaken · trembling · petrified · alarmed · panic-stricken · phobic · intimidated · squeamish
nervous
Uneasy and apprehensive
uneasy · antsy · fidgety · tense · apprehensive · panicky · overwrought · high-strung · neurotic · hypervigilant
overcautious
Excessively careful or wary
- waryGuardedly alert
- guardedWary and restrained
- risk-aversePreferring safety over uncertainty
shy
Reserved and retiring
sheepish · shrinking violet · retiring · diffident · unassertive · self-effacing · hesitant · tentative · withdrawn · insecure
- Animal Idiomsblind as a bat, brave as a lion, busy bee, copycat, dark horse
- compound slangairhead, birdbrain, blockhead, bonehead, dimwit
- cowardicecoward, cowardly, craven, gutless, spineless
- Playground Insultsbaby, brat, crybaby, dummy, dork
- cowardscoward, chicken, wimp, milquetoast, poltroon
- baby talkmama, dada, papa, mommy, daddy
scaredy-catdaredevil
Reckless risk-taker
brave soul · hero · risk-taker · thrill-seeker · adrenaline junkie
scaredy-catdaredevil
Reckless risk-taker
hothead · madman · wild child · loose cannon · thrillseeker
scare, scary, scared, scarecrow, scaring, scarer, scaredy, scarers, fraidy-cat