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
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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
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Recent Examples of fear
Garry Kasparov, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2025
Orr’s study also found that even as silence about climate change can spiral into deeper fears of speaking out, speaking about the issue can drive a spiral toward further discussion and action — and that individual conversations can play a surprisingly large role.
—Saul Elbein, The Hill, 17 Apr. 2025
Shahar Ziv, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Experts fear that such a boost in demand for Brazilian soy, coupled with moves to cut environmental policies in soy-producing Brazilian states, could drive further deforestation.
—Sarah Sax, The Atlantic, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fear
Noun
Creating a culture of fear by persecuting unpopular individuals and groups?
—Garry Kasparov, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2025
Orr’s study also found that even as silence about climate change can spiral into deeper fears of speaking out, speaking about the issue can drive a spiral toward further discussion and action — and that individual conversations can play a surprisingly large role.
—Saul Elbein, The Hill, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
Some public service workers on the verge of retirement or career changes are postponing those plans, fearing that a job switch could jeopardize their PSLF eligibility while their forgiveness applications languish.
—Shahar Ziv, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Experts fear that such a boost in demand for Brazilian soy, coupled with moves to cut environmental policies in soy-producing Brazilian states, could drive further deforestation.
—Sarah Sax, The Atlantic, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fear
Noun
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Consumer sentiment fell sharply in April, marking the fourth consecutive month of declines, as an intensifying trade war fueled anxiety over American jobs and rising inflation.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2025
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Is loyalty to an old friend and/or anxiety about having a kid reason enough to spend a day or two away from a wife who could go into labor at any minute?—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Bits and pieces to friends, tender moments and worries to others.—
Kristina Goetz,
USA Today,
13 Apr. 2025
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This is important because lower yields can help the economy and are the typical bond reaction during worries about economic growth.—
Bill Stone,
Forbes.com,
13 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The arrests came after town halls across the country have become heated, as constituents from both parties expressed concern over President Donald Trump's swift and far-reaching staffing cuts.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2025
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Many of our national parks will have special Earth Day demonstrations of earth science or discussions of the latest environmental concerns.—
Food Drink Life,
Mercury News,
22 Apr. 2025
Noun
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For many, as the rain kept falling, there was a sense of dread that the worst was still to come.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Apr. 2025
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Thus, the fear of displacement has not become a distant memory but a continuous dread as the age of gentrification looms over the neighborhood.—
Alyza J Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
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What is new, however, is the atmosphere of unease ushered in by Donald Trump’s return to power.—
Alex Ashley,
Rolling Stone,
9 Apr. 2025
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Even when upheaval isn’t imminent within your organization, broad societal and economic shifts can create a sense of unease, as external stressors inevitably impact workplace morale.—
Michael McFall,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Trump faces growing pushback from his own party The markets were still in a panic on Monday when an unverified report circulated that the president was considering a 90-day pause on the tariffs.—
Time,
Time,
10 Apr. 2025
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Bitcoin and other crypto tokens joined the rest of the market earlier this week in a downward plunge amid growing panic about Trump’s tariffs.—
Julia Shapero,
The Hill,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The incidents have dramatically increased after Oct. 7 (Hamas terror attacks), but the trend was already increasing prior to that.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
22 Apr. 2025
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The gunman who killed 23 people in a racist attack at an El Paso Walmart in 2019 will spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty to one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history and the worst domestic terror attack on Hispanics that the country has ever seen.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fear. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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