fear

1 of 2

noun

ˈfir How to pronounce fear (audio)
Synonyms of fearnext
1
a
: an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger
b(1)
: an instance of this emotion
(2)
: a state marked by this emotion
2
: anxious concern : solicitude
3
: profound reverence and awe especially toward God
4
: reason for alarm : danger

fear

2 of 2

verb

feared; fearing; fears

transitive verb

1
: to be afraid of : expect with alarm
fear the worst
2
: to have a reverential awe of
fear God
3
archaic : frighten
4
archaic : to feel fear in (oneself)

intransitive verb

: to be afraid or apprehensive
feared for their lives
feared to go out at night
fearer noun

Synonyms

Noun

Verb

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for fear

fear, dread, fright, alarm, panic, terror, trepidation mean painful agitation in the presence or anticipation of danger.

fear is the most general term and implies anxiety and usually loss of courage.

fear of the unknown

dread usually adds the idea of intense reluctance to face or meet a person or situation and suggests aversion as well as anxiety.

faced the meeting with dread

fright implies the shock of sudden, startling fear.

fright at being awakened suddenly

alarm suggests a sudden and intense awareness of immediate danger.

view the situation with alarm

panic implies unreasoning and overmastering fear causing hysterical activity.

the news caused widespread panic

terror implies the most extreme degree of fear.

immobilized with terror

trepidation adds to dread the implications of timidity, trembling, and hesitation.

raised the subject with trepidation

Examples of fear in a Sentence

Noun He was trembling with fear. unable to walk the streets without fear of being mugged They regarded their enemies with fear and hatred. I've been trying to overcome my fear of flying. The doctor's diagnosis confirmed our worst fears. The government is trying to allay fears of a recession. Employees expressed fears that the company would go out of business. He told us about all his hopes and fears. She has a morbid fear of cats. Verb He was a cruel king who was feared and hated by his subjects. There's no need to fear.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Meanwhile, fears are growing that pressure to address the spiraling humanitarian crisis in Gaza will fade as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office. —Chantal Da Silva, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024 The shame and fear from that policy linger on, even generations later. —Josh Becker, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
Verb
Immune to fear and favor, AI introduces a new possibility of objectivity in strategic decision-making. —Henry A. Kissinger, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2024 Don’t fear being different; let your imagination wander and your brilliance shine through. —Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for fear 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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" — more at peril entry 1

Note: Attested in Gothic only in the presumed derivative ferja, translating Greek enkáthetos "one put in secretly, spy." Though the etymology proposed above is conventional in dictionaries, the original meaning of the Germanic etymon and its relation to a putative Indo-European *per- are uncertain. See note at peril entry 1. The meaning of the Middle and Modern English noun appears to be derivative of the verb (see fear entry 2) rather than a development of the Old English meaning.

Verb

Middle English feren "to frighten, be afraid of," going back to Old English fǣran, fēran "to take by surprise, frighten," weak verb derivative (as also Old Saxon fāron "to lurk in wait for, frighten," Old High German fārēn "to lurk in wait for, strive, devise ill against," Old Norse færa "to slight, taunt") of Germanic *fēra- or *fēran- — more at fear entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of fear was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing fear

Dictionary Entries Near fear

fealty

fear

Fear, Cape

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Fear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fear. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

fear

1 of 2 noun
ˈfi(ə)r How to pronounce fear (audio)
1
a
: an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by expectation or awareness of danger
b
: an instance of fear or a state marked by fear
2
: concern about what may happen : worry
3
: awe entry 1

fear

2 of 2 verb
1
: to feel great awe of
fear God
2
: to be afraid of : have fear
3
: to be worried
feared they would miss the train
fearer noun

Medical Definition

fear

noun
ˈfi(ə)r How to pronounce fear (audio)
1
: an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger and accompanied by increased autonomic activity
2
: an instance of fear
fear verb

More from Merriam-Webster on fear

Nglish: Translation of fear for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of fear for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fear

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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