for fear of

1. Also, for fear that. In order to avoid or prevent, in case of. For example, They closed all the windows for fear of rain. The variant is always used before a clause, as in She wouldn't let her children climb trees for fear that they would fall. The first term dates from the late 1400s, the second from about 1600.

Example Sentences

During a scene at a carnival, where Dawn goes on a zero-gravity ride while Mark chooses to stay outside for fear of an upset stomach, Blunt’s wordless display of levity briefly knocked me off my feet.

From Salon

Schools across the capital and nearby districts were closed last week, for fear of escalating violence.

From BBC

"The idea is to allow people to instantly seek help to navigate relationships because not everyone can talk to friends or family for fear of judgment," says New York-based founder Es Lee.

From BBC

“We had a lot of trouble then,” said a woman who asked to be referred to only as “Sue” for fear of being doxed.

From Los Angeles Times

The detainee, who didn’t want to be identified for fear of retribution, said in response guards confined him in a single-person cell for days.

From Los Angeles Times