Fear — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈfir/

Meaning & Definition of Fear

Fear (noun)

  1. an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger
  2. a particular instance or category of this emotion —often used in plural
  3. a state marked by this emotion

Fear (verb)

  1. to be afraid of, expect with alarm
  2. to be filled with concern or regret over an unwanted situation
  3. to have a reverential awe of

Fear (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the emotion experienced in the presence or threat of danger

    "the sight of the headless horseman filled the schoolmaster with fear"

    similar: alarm, anxiety, dread, fearfulness, fright, horror, panic, scare, terror, trepidation
    related: phobia, creeps, jitters, nervousness, willies, pang, qualm, twinge, agitation, apprehension, consternation, discomposure, disquiet, funk, perturbation, concern, dismay, worry, cowardice, faintheartedness, timidity, timorousness
    near: aplomb, assurance, boldness, confidence, self-assurance, self-confidence, bravery, courage, courageousness, daring, dauntlessness, doughtiness, fearlessness, fortitude, gallantry, hardihood, intrepidity, intrepidness, stoutness, valor, audacity, guts, nerve

  2. an uneasy state of mind usually over the possibility of an anticipated misfortune or trouble

    "fear for her family's safety drove her to seek help from neighbors she hardly knew"

    similar: agita, agitation, anxiety, anxiousness, apprehension, apprehensiveness, care, concern, concernment, disquiet, disquietude, nervosity, nervousness, perturbation, solicitude, sweat, unease, uneasiness, worry
    related: strain, stress, tension, alarm, anguish, consternation, desperateness, desperation, discomfort, discomposure, dismay, distraction, distress, disturbance, edginess, franticness, hand-wringing, jitters, jumpiness, panic, tremor, angst, fearfulness, torment, upset, vexation, cold feet, doubt, dread, foreboding, incertitude, misgiving, presentiment, suspense, uncertainty, compunction, qualm, scruple
    opposite: unconcern
    near: calm, calmness, content, contentment, ease, easiness, peace, peacefulness, placidity, placidness, quiet, quietude, sereneness, serenity, tranquility, tranquilness, comfort, consolation, relief, solace

Fear (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to experience concern or anxiety

    "her friends feared that she was dating a guy who was all wrong for her"

    similar: bother, fret, fuss, stew, stress, sweat, trouble, worry, give a hang, sweat blood
    related: agonize, long, pine, yearn, chafe, despair
    near: accept, abide, bear, endure, stick out, stomach, sustain, take, tolerate

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Fear

The most common words with a similar meaning to Fear:

alarm, anxiety, dread, fearfulness, fright, horror, panic, scare, terror, trepidation, agita, agitation, anxiousness, apprehension, apprehensiveness, care, concern, concernment, disquiet, disquietude, nervosity, nervousness, perturbation, solicitude, sweat, unease, uneasiness, worry, bother, fret, fuss, stew, stress, trouble, give a hang, sweat blood

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Fear

Words with the opposite meaning of Fear:

unconcern

Related Words for Fear

phobia, creeps, jitters, willies, pang, qualm, twinge, consternation, discomposure, funk, dismay, cowardice, faintheartedness, timidity, timorousness, strain, tension, anguish, desperateness, desperation, discomfort, distraction, distress, disturbance, edginess, franticness, hand-wringing, jumpiness, tremor, angst

Near Antonyms of Fear

aplomb, assurance, boldness, confidence, self-assurance, self-confidence, bravery, courage, courageousness, daring, dauntlessness, doughtiness, fearlessness, fortitude, gallantry, hardihood, intrepidity, intrepidness, stoutness, valor, audacity, guts, nerve, calm, calmness, content, contentment, ease, easiness, peace

Word Forms of Fear

Inflections: feared, fearing, fears

Derived words: fearer (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Fear

Middle English fer, going back to Old English fǣr, fēr "unexpected danger, peril," going back to Germanic *fēra- or *fēran- (whence also Old Saxon fār "lurking danger," Old High German fāra "ambush, danger," Old Norse fár "evil, mischief, plague"), perhaps going back to a lengthened-grade nominal derivative of a proposed Indo-European verbal base *per- "test, risk" peril:1

First known use: 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Fear

Words & Phrases Containing Fear

fear for, fear for one's life, fear for one's/someone's life, fear the worst, fools rush in (where angels fear to tread), for fear of

Frequently Asked Questions about Fear

What does "Fear" mean?

"Fear" means an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Fear"?

Other words for "Fear" include alarm, anxiety, dread, fearfulness, fright, horror, panic and scare. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Fear" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Fear"?

There are 85 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Fear". Common alternatives include alarm, anxiety, dread, fearfulness, fright, horror, panic, scare, terror and trepidation.

What is the opposite of "Fear"?

Antonyms of "Fear" include unconcern. Near antonyms include aplomb, assurance, boldness and confidence.

How do you use "Fear" in a sentence?

Examples of "Fear" in a sentence: "the sight of the headless horseman filled the schoolmaster with fear"; "fear for her family's safety drove her to seek help from neighbors she hardly knew"; "her friends feared that she was dating a guy who was all wrong for her".

Is "Fear" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Fear" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Fear" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Fear" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.

How do you pronounce "Fear"?

"Fear" is pronounced /ˈfir/.