Afraid vs Scared

is more about how we feel in a moment. It’s a stronger, emotional reaction and is often used in spoken English. Example: I got scared when a spider jumped on me

The kids were scared when the lights went out

is often used to talk about a general fear or something we are usually scared of — like a fact or a state. Example: I’m afraid of spiders.

She’s afraid of flying.

She looked scared during the flight because of the turbulence

She’s afraid to speak in public

I’m afraid we can’t come to your party

I’m afraid of dogs

I was really scared when the dog barked at me

He got scared when he forgot his words on stage