When you need to describe something as "scary-sounding," there are many other options to choose from to add an extra level of apprehension or fear to your writing. You might consider using words like ominous, foreboding, chilling, eerie, spine-tingling, haunting, unnerving, or petrifying. Each of these adjectives brings a slightly different nuance to the idea of something being frightening or unsettling. For example, "ominous" implies a sense of impending danger, while "haunting" suggests a lingering feeling of unease. By reaching for a more specific synonym, you can create a richer and more evocative description of the situation at hand.