fearful
Americanadjective
-
causing or apt to cause fear; frightening.
a fearful apparition.
-
feeling fear, dread, apprehension, or solicitude.
fearful for his life.
- Synonyms:
- worried, concerned, anxious, solicitous, distrustful, uneasy, apprehensive, timorous, timid, afraid
-
full of awe or reverence.
fearful of the Lord.
-
showing or caused by fear.
fearful behavior exhibited by dogs in the animal shelter.
-
extreme in size, intensity, or badness: fearful poverty.
a fearful head cold;
fearful poverty.
adjective
-
having fear; afraid
-
causing fear; frightening
-
informal very unpleasant or annoying
a fearful cold
Other Word Forms
- fearfully adverb
- fearfulness noun
- unfearful adjective
Etymology
Origin of fearful
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English ferful(l); fear, -ful
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.
Despite that, I sensed restraint and encountered a Jewish community that is anxious, vulnerable and fearful.
With a district that is 92% Latino, she said, nearly everyone is fearful, whether they are directly or indirectly affected, regardless if they have citizenship.
From Los Angeles Times
The characters occasionally expose their true selves, then just as quickly retreat, fearful of touching on real conflict.
From Los Angeles Times
“But we are not fearful,” said Gabriel Robles.
From Los Angeles Times
Resigned to his fate in the present and, perhaps, fearful for his position in the future.
From BBC
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.
