afraid

[ uh-freyd ]

/ əˈfreɪd /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR afraid ON THESAURUS.COM

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.

Nearby words

afp, afr, afr-, afr., afraes, afraid, afraid of one's own shadow, aframerican, afrasia, afrasian, afreet

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 MORE SYNONYMS FOR afraid ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR afraid

1 bold, confident, fearless.

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Related forms

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

Synonym study

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.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for afraid

As soon as this attack [happened], Paris citizens came together to show were are not afraid, we are Charlie Hebdo.
France Kills Charlie Hebdo Murderers|Nico Hines|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
But we are afraid and we wonder to ourselves who will be next.
Mexico’s Priests Are Marked for Murder|Jason McGahan|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Are you excited, nervous, afraid, all of the above for the new Star Wars films?
Patton Oswalt on Fighting Conservatives With Satire|William O’Connor|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Lynch was surely not afraid of showing disrespect to the mayor.
Funeral Protest Is Too Much for NYPD Union Boss|Michael Daly|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST

Afraid the Korean secret police would not believe his kidnapping story, Shin settled in Hollywood.
Propaganda, Protest, and Poisonous Vipers: The Cinema War in Korea|Rich Goldstein|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
"You need not be afraid of that any more, Ronnie," his uncle told him calmly.
The Kingdom of the Blind|E. Phillips Oppenheim
He was afraid that when he looked over the hill he would see nothing.
When Buffalo Ran|George Bird Grinnell
I felt little alarm about the natives, but I was afraid that some prowling beast might attack him.
In the Wilds of Africa|W.H.G. Kingston
No, darling, they are humbugging you, because they were afraid lest their plan should be known.
The Works of Guy de Maupassant, Vol. 6|Guy de Maupassant
If they are afraid to let the boys come nearer than hailing distance, what'll be done when the mob get here?
Down the Slope|James Otis

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