afraid

[ uh-freyd ]
/ əˈfreɪd /
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adjective

feeling fear; filled with apprehension: afraid to go.
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.

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DO YOU KNOW THIS VOCABULARY FROM "THE HANDMAID'S TALE"?

"The Handmaid's Tale" was required reading for many of us in school. Everyone else has probably watched the very popular and addictive TV show. Do you remember this vocabulary from the book, and do you know what these terms mean?
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decorum
the act of or need for making up one's mind.
dignified propriety of behavior, speech, dress, etc.
a company of singers, especially an organized group employed in church service.
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Origin of afraid

variant spelling of affrayed, past participle of affray to disturb, frighten

SYNONYMS FOR afraid

1 scared, fearful, disquieted, apprehensive, timid, timorous.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR afraid ON THESAURUS.COM

synonym study for afraid

1. 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 WORDS FROM afraid

half-a·fraid, adjectiveun·a·fraid, adjective

Words nearby afraid

afp, afr, afr-, afr., afraes, afraid, afraid of one's own shadow, aframerican, afrasia, afrasian, afreet
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to afraid

timid, nervous, scared, suspicious, apprehensive, shocked, anxious, frightened, hesitant, unhappy, loath, unwilling, sorry, reluctant, abashed, aghast, alarmed, blanched, cowardly, discouraged

Example sentences from the Web for afraid

British Dictionary definitions for afraid

afraid
/ (əˈfreɪd) /

adjective (postpositive)

(often foll by of) feeling fear or apprehension; frightenedhe was afraid of cats
reluctant (to do something), as through fear or timidityhe was afraid to let himself go
(often foll by that; used to lessen the effect of an unpleasant statement) regretfulI'm afraid that I shall have to tell you to go

Word Origin for afraid

C14: affraied, past participle of affray (to frighten)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012