afraid
[ uh-freyd ]
/ əˈfreɪd /
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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Origin of afraid
variant spelling of affrayed, past participle of affray to disturb, frighten
SYNONYMS FOR afraid
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, adjectiveWords nearby afraid
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
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
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