1
as in anxiety
the emotion experienced in the presence or threat of danger
the sight of the headless horseman filled the schoolmaster with fear
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in worry
an uneasy state of mind usually over the possibility of an anticipated misfortune or trouble
fear for her family's safety drove her to seek help from neighbors she hardly knew
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to worry
to experience concern or anxiety
her friends feared that she was dating a guy who was all wrong for her
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of fear
Josh Meyer, USA Today, 31 May 2026
Their courage was born from fear, one of the survivors told CNN in an exclusive interview.
—Kocha Olarn, CNN Money, 31 May 2026
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2026
Residents fear the coming months will bring worse conditions as summer heat intensifies and hurricane season begins.
—ABC News, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for fear
Noun
Those details have been consistently hidden from the public for fear of aiding those who would do America harm.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 31 May 2026
Their courage was born from fear, one of the survivors told CNN in an exclusive interview.
—Kocha Olarn, CNN Money, 31 May 2026
Verb
Our politicians didn’t have the courage to do that, fearing the wrath of Bears fans.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2026
Residents fear the coming months will bring worse conditions as summer heat intensifies and hurricane season begins.
—ABC News, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for fear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fear
Noun
-
Schizophrenia, bipolar, autism, anxiety, depression – all of these topics are almost global bestsellers.—
Jon LaPook,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
-
While menopause is biological, many of the symptoms associated with it, including sleep disruption, anxiety, mood instability, brain fog, and fatigue, can also be amplified by chronic stress and nervous system overload.—
Meggen Harris,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
Wembanyama finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in the loss but downplayed any worries about the team’s struggles after the game.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
-
Stocks also came under pressure on Middle East worries.—
Lee Ying Shan,Justina Lee,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Analysts have previously expressed concern that US stocks of the interceptors have been depleted by the Iran conflict as well as by last year’s 12-day war between Israel and Iran, and noted that manufacturing more takes time.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
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Those concerns that chopped 30% off cyber stocks earlier this year could not have been more wrong, as Jim Cramer had said all along.—
Zev Fima,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Brith, filled with a sudden dread, stands very still, watching it, and the dog, sensing something, emits a low growl.—
Maggie O’Farrell,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
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Her smile in the fantasy is one of relief and clarity, which cuts so hard after watching the dread pile up before Leslie notices her.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
The constant movement might make some audience members dizzy, yet its jitteriness signifies the anxiety and unease of the characters, both in their skin and with each other.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
25 May 2026
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All that party infighting — present before every primary, but at a fever pitch now — comes against a backdrop of broader voter unease about the war in Iran, volatile oil and gas prices, and the burgeoning threat of AI to the American workforce.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
24 May 2026
Noun
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The onboard camera, sending video back to the remote pilot in real time, captures his panic.—
David L. Stern,
Washington Post,
31 May 2026
-
In the years following, Beijing funded or armed fellow communists in Vietnam, North Korea, Burma, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia, causing panic in Washington and other Western capitals as the ideological struggles of the Cold War rippled across Asia.—
Dhruv Tikekar,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
LaBeouf’s campaign of terror ended when he was arrested for punching several people outside the Royal Street Inn & R Bar.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
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The sheer terror of marathon training certainly kept me off cigarettes for a solid six months.—
Kimberly McCreight,
Time,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fear. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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