How to sign
Scared in ASL
Scared brings two fists up and springs them open at the chest, with wide eyes and a flinch.
- Single sign
- Two hands
- Handshape: S fists opening to spread hands
- Chest
- How you feel
How to sign scared
- 1
Hold two fists at your sides at chest height.
- 2
Bring them in toward your chest and spring the fingers open.
- 3
Widen your eyes, pull your head back slightly, and let your mouth open.
Common mistakes
- Opening the hands slowly. The spring is sudden, like a startle.
Questions about “Scared”
Yes. This clip shows the common ASL sign for scared. Like spoken languages, ASL has regional variation, so you may see small differences from signer to signer.
Guide
Feelings
Emotion signs are where facial expression stops being optional. Learn the core feeling signs, the full phrases like I'm tired, and how to match your face to the sign.
From the blog
The First 50 ASL Signs to Learn (and Why These 50)
A teacher-picked starter vocabulary: greetings, replies, pronouns, question words, and feelings that let you hold a real first conversation. Every sign on video.