afraid
Americanadjective
-
feeling fear; filled with apprehension.
afraid to go.
- Synonyms:
- timorous, timid, apprehensive, fearful, scared
-
feeling regret, unhappiness, or the like.
I'm afraid we can't go on Monday.
-
feeling reluctance, unwillingness, distaste, or the like.
He seemed afraid to show his own children a little kindness.
adjective
-
(often foll by of) feeling fear or apprehension; frightened
he was afraid of cats
-
reluctant (to do something), as through fear or timidity
he was afraid to let himself go
-
regretful
I'm afraid that I shall have to tell you to go
Synonym Usage
Afraid, alarmed, frightened, terrified all indicate a state of fear. Afraid implies inner apprehensive disquiet: afraid of the dark. Alarmed implies that the feelings are aroused through realization of some imminent or unexpected danger to oneself or others: alarmed by (or about ) someone's illness. Frightened means shocked with sudden, but usually short-lived, fear, especially that arising from apprehension of physical harm: frightened by an accident. Terrified suggests the emotional reaction when one is struck with a violent, overwhelming fear: terrified by an earthquake.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of afraid
Variant spelling of affrayed, past participle of affray to disturb, frighten
Explanation
To be afraid is to be scared. People are afraid of snakes, bugs, heights, bears, death, and public speaking, among other things. Being afraid means you have a fear of something — and people are afraid of all sorts of things, from guns to ghosts to being in arguments. People also say, "I'm afraid I have some bad news," which doesn't mean they're afraid of the news, but sorry that they have to share it. It's a similar situation for the saying "I'm afraid so," which is a nice way of saying "I'm sorry, but the answer is yes."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"And the scariest thing is for the children. My children are just very afraid."
From Barron's • Jul. 9, 2026
Geneva Rajpute, who lives on the street where the shooting occurred, said she and neighbors “shouldn’t be afraid to go down the street” but that the shooting has left them shocked.
From Salon • Jul. 9, 2026
Not afraid of being too inside baseball, she turns a spotlight onto the backstage realities of an endangered cultural scene that, by the evidence of this play alone, is too wonderful to abandon.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2026
He explained that he has had to move address several times and that he is afraid of going out on his own.
From BBC • Jul. 3, 2026
“I know you won’t. You, Gracie, have never been afraid of hard work.”
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
