assustador
/a.sus.taˈdoʁ/
The English word 'scary' is translated into Portuguese as assustador.
The word assustador is used to describe something that causes fear or anxiety.
Meaning: causing fear or anxiety (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The term is derived from the verb assustar, which means 'to frighten' or 'to scare'.
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between what causes the fear and who feels it. While assustador describes something that is scary, the word assustado describes a person who is feeling scared.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, assustador must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. Use assustadora for feminine singular nouns, assustadores for masculine plural nouns and assustadoras for feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/a.sus.taˈdoʁ/
Did you know?
- While assustador describes the source of fear, Portuguese speakers often use estou com medo to say 'I am scared', which literally translates to 'I am with fear'.
- In Portuguese, the concept of 'scary' can be expressed through dar medo, which literally means 'to give fear'.
- If you want to say someone is 'scary' because they are intimidating or fierce, you might use assustador, but if you mean they are 'scary' in an impressive or amazing way, the word assombroso is a much more common choice.
Examples in context
- A morte é assustadora.Death is scary.This sentence shows how to describe death as something scary using assustador.Tatoeba #8199047 by carlosalberto, translation #8197965 by Hybrid
- É um pouco assustador.It's a little scary.This sentence demonstrates using assustador to say something is a little scary.Tatoeba #10133645 by pedromarques, translation #1894608 by CK
- Esse gato é assustador.That's a scary cat.This sentence shows how to use assustador to describe a scary cat.Tatoeba #13748973 by carlosalberto, translation #11040351 by CK
- O filme de terror foi realmente assustador!The horror movie was truly scary!
- As consequências do desastre foram verdadeiramente aterradoras.The consequences of the disaster were truly terrifying.
- O romance gótico é repleto de eventos medonhos e misteriosos.The Gothic novel is full of dread-filled and mysterious events.
- Aquele filme de terror foi assustador de arrepiar!That horror movie was spine-chillingly scary!
- A festa naquela casa abandonada era sinistra!The party at that abandoned house was scary/eerie!
- 39 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felipe and Juliana are watching a horror movie at home.
- FelipeEsse filme é muito assustador.This movie is very scary.
- JulianaSim, eu estou com medo.Yes, I am afraid.
- FelipeQuer que eu desligue a TV?Do you want me to turn off the TV?
- JulianaNão, só apague a luz.No, just turn off the light.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “scary” translations and entries assustador, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
