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fear

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verb

as in to worry
to experience concern or anxiety her friends feared that she was dating a guy who was all wrong for her

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word fear distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of fear are alarm, dread, fright, panic, terror, and trepidation. While all these words mean "painful agitation in the presence or anticipation of danger," fear is the most general term and implies anxiety and usually loss of courage.

fear of the unknown

When might alarm be a better fit than fear?

The words alarm and fear are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, alarm suggests a sudden and intense awareness of immediate danger.

view the situation with alarm

In what contexts can dread take the place of fear?

The synonyms dread and fear are sometimes interchangeable, but dread usually adds the idea of intense reluctance to face or meet a person or situation and suggests aversion as well as anxiety.

faced the meeting with dread

Where would fright be a reasonable alternative to fear?

While the synonyms fright and fear are close in meaning, fright implies the shock of sudden, startling fear.

fright at being awakened suddenly

When can panic be used instead of fear?

The words panic and fear can be used in similar contexts, but panic implies unreasoning and overmastering fear causing hysterical activity.

the news caused widespread panic

When is terror a more appropriate choice than fear?

In some situations, the words terror and fear are roughly equivalent. However, terror implies the most extreme degree of fear.

immobilized with terror

How are the words trepidation and dread related as synonyms of fear?

Trepidation adds to dread the implications of timidity, trembling, and hesitation.

raised the subject with trepidation

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fear
Noun
That fear exists for her family, as well, the student said. Silas Allen, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Feb. 2025 Even those companies who do not have government contracts will take note of the rhetoric, and their behavior could be influenced by the fear it is intended to create. Megan Poinski, Forbes, 3 Feb. 2025
Verb
Millot was quickly interwoven into a side that played fast, intricate football, and established himself as a goalscoring midfielder to be feared. The Athletic Uk Staff, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025 Many now fear that the system of cooperation is beginning to crack. Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for fear 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fear
Noun
  • Participating in rituals and routine has been shown to provide solace against anxiety and grief.
    Christina Pérez, Vogue, 29 Jan. 2025
  • Kassan, who had struggled with anxiety and panic attacks before, said his mental health worsened in the years after selling his company.
    Ernestine Siu, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • That bump defrayed worries over declining iPhone sales, which not only missed LSEG estimates by the largest margin in two years but were also lower compared with a year earlier because of weakness in the Greater China market.
    Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 31 Jan. 2025
  • Last year, despite worries about overcapacity, Congress approved an expansion to Reagan airport, adding five more long-haul daily flights.
    Joann Muller, Axios, 31 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • And recently thousands of physicians and others in health care have signed onto letters echoing these concerns.
    Will Stone, NPR, 28 Jan. 2025
  • Yet throughout the week, designers demonstrated their ability to engage with a larger societal landscape; by addressing concerns about inclusivity, protection and freedom, the Fall-Winter 2025 season provided a stage to escape as well as ideas to navigate the current climate.
    Alice Pfeiffer, CNN, 28 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Over the course of January 2025, Williams watched in dread as social media videos and news coverage emerged showing Southern California residents whose homes had been destroyed sifting through the rubble unmasked.
    Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2025
  • Green takes care with set-up and establishes good anticipatory dread, but doesn’t leave enough time to deliver on the horror.
    Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Nic Carter, a prominent crypto investor and Trump supporter, reasons that the unease is indicative of a broader panic, a slow-growing sense that Trump can’t be controlled in the way the industry might want.
    Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2025
  • These capabilities even evoke a growing sense of unease and fears of sentient beings that could potentially threaten humanity.
    Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The forceful move propelled French exhibitors in a state of panic, but also led for negotiations to be re-launched.
    Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 29 Jan. 2025
  • The cause of the panic remains unclear, but distressing scenes unfolded as families searched for missing relatives and rescuers aided the injured.
    Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Washington — Justice Department lawyers and defense attorneys for the three men accused of planning the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks squared off before a federal appeals court Tuesday in a court fight over whether plea agreements reached with the defendants last summer can go forward.
    Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2025
  • The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights said some organizations had reported a 400% increase in antisemitic incidents since the October 7, 2023 terror attacks in Israel.
    Allison Gordon, CNN, 26 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near fear

Cite this Entry

“Fear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fear. Accessed 7 Feb. 2025.

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