Scare away Definition 1 of 2Pro Tip 1/3Literal Action Used when something actually runs or moves away out of fear. A barking dog can scare away trespassers. Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Visible The act of scaring away isn't always seen; it can happen out of sight. She suspected the unfamiliar scent scared away the deer. Pro Tip 3/3Unintentional Effect Sometimes scaring away occurs by accident, not by design. The kids didn't mean to scare away the rabbits.