jump scare

noun

variants or less commonly jump-scare

ˈjəmp-ˌsker

or jumpscare

plural jump scares also jump-scares or jumpscares

: a scripted moment (as in a film or video game) intended to startle the audience

The biggest jolts in "The Omen" … come from conventionally staged jump scares, where a nasty image suddenly flashes on the screen accompanied by a startling sound effect.—

Li Wang

… differentiates itself from other VR [=virtual reality] horror games by not resorting to cheap jump-scares, instead flexing its brilliant visuals to build an atmospheric sense of foreboding.—

Chris Button

Examples of jump scare in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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On the Duluth Haunted Ship, scare actors orchestrate jump scares at sea and aboard the 700-foot vintage ore boat called the S.S. William A. Irvin. —

Brittany Anas, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024 The jump scares don’t stop in this truly chilling tale of a deaf writer (Kate Siegel) who’s all alone at a remote cabin. —

Eric Andersson, People.com, 12 Oct. 2024 An example of the fear of losing control could be a person experiencing a jump scare, according to Poffenroth, which can be viewed as something that can't be controlled. —

Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 11 Oct. 2024 Tucked behind Hood Park's office buildings is a minefield of jump scares, skeletons and monsters. —

Steph Solis, Axios, 7 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for jump scare