English Vocabulary, Expressions and Idioms for Halloween.

How to talk about SCARY STUFF in English. English Vocabulary, Expressions and Idioms for Halloween.

Explanation + Practice

Halloween Vocabulary Explained in Easy English:

  1. Jack-o-lanterns
    • A carved pumpkin with a face, used as decoration on Halloween.
    • Example: “We made Jack-o-lanterns for Halloween and put candles inside them.”
  2. Spooky
    • Something that feels scary or strange.
    • Example: “That old house looks spooky at night.”
  3. Haunted house
    • A house where people believe ghosts live.
    • Example: “We visited a haunted house for Halloween, and it was really creepy.”
  4. Creepy
    • Something that makes you feel scared or uncomfortable.
    • Example: “That dark alley looks creepy.”
  5. It gives me the creeps
    • When something makes you feel scared or uncomfortable.
    • Example: “That spider gives me the creeps!”
  6. To scare the shit out of someone / I was scared shitless
    • To frighten someone very badly / to be very scared.
    • Example: “That loud noise scared the shit out of me!”
  7. Zombie
    • A dead person that has come back to life in scary stories or movies.
    • Example: “Zombies were walking around in the haunted house.”
  8. It makes my skin crawl
    • When something feels so scary or disgusting that your body feels uncomfortable.
    • Example: “Watching that bug crawl on the wall makes my skin crawl.”
  9. Graveyard
    • A place where dead people are buried.
    • Example: “We walked past a graveyard on Halloween night.”
  10. A hair-raising experience
  • A very scary or shocking experience.
  • Example: “The haunted house was a hair-raising experience.”
  1. You’re such a chicken!
  • A fun way to say someone is scared.
  • Example: “You’re such a chicken, you won’t even go inside the haunted house!”
  1. To scare the bejesus out of someone
  • To scare someone very badly.
  • Example: “The loud thunder scared the bejesus out of me.”
  1. The stuff of nightmares
  • Something that is so scary, it could be in a nightmare.
  • Example: “That movie was the stuff of nightmares.”
  1. Vampire
  • A scary creature that drinks people’s blood in stories and movies.
  • Example: “The vampire in the movie was really frightening.”
  1. It makes my blood run cold
  • Something that scares you so much it feels like your blood stops.
  • Example: “Hearing that scream in the dark made my blood run cold.”
  1. Scare someone half to death
  • To scare someone a lot.
  • Example: “The sudden knock on the door scared me half to death.”
  1. Jump out of one’s skin
  • To be so scared that you almost jump.
  • Example: “The loud noise made me jump out of my skin.”
  1. To be afraid of one’s shadow
  • To be easily scared by everything, even something small.
  • Example: “She’s so scared, she’s afraid of her own shadow.”
  1. The Grim Reaper
  • The symbol of death, usually shown as a skeleton with a black robe and a scythe.
  • Example: “The Grim Reaper is a spooky figure in Halloween decorations.”
  1. It gives me goosebumps
  • When something makes you feel scared or excited, and you feel little bumps on your skin.
  • Example: “That ghost story gave me goosebumps.”
  1. Disgusting
  • Something that is very gross and makes you feel sick.
  • Example: “The smell of the garbage was disgusting.”
  1. To run for one’s life
  • To run very fast because you are very scared.
  • Example: “When we saw the ghost, we ran for our lives.”

Extra Practice

Quiz: Halloween Vocabulary

1. You carved a pumpkin for Halloween. What do you call it?
a) A zombie
b) A Jack-o-lantern
c) A vampire


2. You hear a strange noise at night and feel scared. What do you call it?
a) Spooky
b) A vampire
c) Creepy


3. People say ghosts live in this house. What is it called?
a) A graveyard
b) A Jack-o-lantern
c) A haunted house


4. You walk past a dark, old house that makes you feel uncomfortable. How would you describe it?
a) Creepy
b) “I jumped out of my skin.”
c) “It scares me half to death.”


5. You see a big spider, and it makes you feel scared. What do you say?
a) “It gives me gooseskin.”
b) “It gives me the creepy.”
c) “It makes my skin crawl.”


6. You hear a loud crash that makes you extremely scared. What do you say?
a) “It scared the bejesus out of me.”
b) “I’m creepy.”
c) “It made my skin crawl.”


7. You watch a scary movie about dead people coming back to life. What are they called?
a) Vampires
b) Zombies
c) The Grim Reaper


8. You walk past a place where dead people are buried. What is it called?
a) A haunted house
b) A vampire
c) A graveyard


9. Your friend is too scared to enter the haunted house. What do you call them?
a) A vampire
b) A chicken
c) A scaredy-cat


10. You see a creature in a movie that drinks people’s blood. What is it?
a) A zombie
b) A vampire
c) A Jack-o-lantern


11. You hear a terrifying scream in the middle of the night. What do you say?
a) “It makes my blood run cold.”
b) “It makes my skin crawl.”
c) “I’m scared of my own shadow.”


12. A loud sound made you almost jump. What do you say?
a) “I jumped out of my skin.”
b) “It makes my skin crawl.”
c) “It gives me the creeps.”


13. Someone is easily scared by everything. What do you say about them?
a) “They jump at their own shadow.”
b) “They’re a shadow.”
c) “They’re afraid of their shadow.”


14. You see a scary decoration of death with a black robe and a scythe. What is it called?
a) The Grim Reaper
b) A vampire
c) A zombie


15. You hear a spooky story, and little bumps appear on your skin. What do you say?
a) “It gives me goosebumps.”
b) “It gives me the creeps.”
c) “It makes my skin crawl.”


16. You see something very gross that makes you feel sick. What do you say?
a) “It’s spooky.”
b) “It’s disgusting.”
c) “It’s creepy.”


17. You are so scared that you run as fast as you can. What do you say?
a) “I ran for my life.”
b) “I jumped out of my skin.”
c) “I’m afraid of my own shadow.”


Answer Key:

  1. b) A Jack-o-lantern
  2. a) Spooky
  3. c) A haunted house
  4. a) Creepy
  5. c) “It makes my skin crawl.”
  6. a) “It scared the bejesus out of me.”
  7. b) Zombies
  8. c) A graveyard
  9. b) A chicken
  10. b) A vampire
  11. a) “It makes my blood run cold.”
  12. a) “I jumped out of my skin.”
  13. c) “They’re afraid of their shadow.”
  14. a) The Grim Reaper
  15. a) “It gives me goosebumps.”
  16. b) “It’s disgusting.”
  17. a) “I ran for my life.”

Scroll to Top