definitions

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.

RELATED CONTENT

8 Lesser-Known Terms Of Endearment To Try On Your SweetieWhy settle for “honey” or “sweetie” when you can call your beloved one of these?
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

assured, bold, brassy, brave, cheeky, cocky, confident, courageous, daring, dashing, dauntless, gallant, game, gritty, gutsy, heroic, nervy, plucky, spunky, sure

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

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 unafraid

British Dictionary definitions for unafraid (1 of 2)

unafraid

/ (ˌʌnəˈfreɪd) /

adjective (postpositive often foll by of)

not frightenedunafraid to break new ground

British Dictionary definitions for unafraid (2 of 2)

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