What are some descriptive words for scary stories?

For a scary story, 'menacing' is a good descriptive word. It shows that there is a threat looming. 'Ominous' is also very effective, as it suggests that something bad is going to happen. 'Shadowy' can be used to describe a character or a place, making it seem mysterious and a bit scary, like there could be something lurking in those shadows.

Enchanted. This word gives the feeling of a story being under a spell, full of magic and wonder. Another one is 'mystical', which implies that there are elements in the story that are difficult to understand and are full of mystery. 'Mythical' is also a great word, often associated with legends and creatures from ancient tales.

There are also 'gloomy', 'blood - curdling', and 'unnerving'. 'Gloomy' sets a dark and depressing mood, like a gloomy forest filled with mist. 'Blood - curdling' is used for things that are so scary they make your blood seem to freeze, like a blood - curdling scream. 'Unnerving' makes one feel disturbed or on edge, like an unnerving silence before something bad is about to happen.

Eerie. This word can describe the strange and spooky atmosphere often found in ghost stories. For example, an old, abandoned house with creaking floors and dim lighting gives an eerie feeling.

Engaging, vivid, and captivating are great descriptive words for stories. 'Engaging' implies that the story can hold the reader's attention well. 'Vivid' suggests that the details in the story are so clear that it's like the reader can see, hear, and feel everything in it. 'Captivating' means that the story has a charm that makes the reader want to keep reading.

A great descriptive scary story is 'The Monkey's Paw'. In this story, a family comes into possession of a mummified monkey's paw that has the power to grant three wishes. The description of the paw itself is quite eerie, with its shriveled appearance. When they make their first wish for a sum of money, they soon receive news that their son has died in a work - related accident, and the compensation is exactly the amount they wished for. The mood throughout the story is one of dread and unease as they consider their remaining wishes, fearing more unforeseen and horrible consequences. It's a story that makes you think about the consequences of interfering with fate and the unknown.

Some descriptive words for novels are 'captivating', which means it can hold the reader's attention firmly. 'Intriguing' is also a good one, suggesting that the plot or characters arouse the reader's curiosity. And 'engaging', it implies that the novel makes the reader get involved in the story.

The moon was a pale, sickly orb, casting long, distorted shadows that seemed to writhe like living things. The wind howled through the bare branches of the ancient trees, sounding like the wails of the damned.

One example is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It descriptively shows the narrator's descent into madness as he obsesses over an old man's 'vulture - like' eye. The detailed descriptions of his creeping into the old man's room at night, the sound of the old man's heart beating louder and louder in his head, create a truly scary atmosphere.

There's 'In a Dark, Dark Wood'. The repetitive use of 'dark' in the description builds a spooky atmosphere. It goes on to describe a house in the wood and all the creepy things that might be inside. There's a sense of anticipation and fear as the story unfolds. It's a simple story but the descriptive words like 'dark' and 'creaky' are enough to engage a child's imagination and give them a bit of a scare in a fun way.