What is "jump scare"

alt. (context narratology English) The technique, typically used in horror films and video games, of having something occur suddenly and without warning to frighten the audience. n. (context narratology English) The technique, typically used in horror films and video games, of having something occur suddenly and without warning to frighten the audience.

A jump scare is a technique often used in horror films and video games, intended to scare the audience by surprising them with an abrupt change in image or event, usually co-occurring with a loud, frightening sound. The jump scare has been described as "one of the most basic building blocks of horror movies". Jump scares can surprise the viewer by appearing at a point in the film where the soundtrack is quiet and the viewer is not expecting anything alarming to happen, or can be the sudden payoff to a long period of suspense.

Some critics have described jump scares as a lazy way to frighten viewers, and believe that the horror genre has undergone a decline in recent years following an over-reliance on the trope, establishing it as a cliché of modern horror films.