How to Use afraid in a Sentence

afraid

adjective
  • Melissa is afraid of flying, so she takes a train from Boston to visit her brother in Chicago.
  • One who hates raisins and one who’s afraid of the wind.
    Armond White, National Review, 13 Dec. 2024
  • The ones who are not afraid to go against the grain and paint outside of the lines.
    Katie Bowlby, Country Living, 4 Mar. 2023
  • So don’t be afraid to have a heart-to-heart with him about it.
    Susan Steade, Sun Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2025
  • Don’t be afraid to use the tender tips of thyme sprigs.
    Christopher Kimball, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Jan. 2023
  • Both have set the tone that the team isn’t afraid to stand up for each other.
    Jenna Ortiz, The Arizona Republic, 9 Oct. 2022
  • Branch out, and don’t be afraid to take the road less traveled.
    Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2024
  • Don’t be afraid to start from the bottom and work your way up.
    Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
  • The coach wasn’t afraid to put Class in the very visible No. 0.
    John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Nov. 2023
  • Here are some of Clark’s go-to tips: Don’t be afraid to just go for it.
    Blake Bakkila, Sunset Magazine, 17 Aug. 2023
  • And don’t be afraid to be a squeaky wheel, says Greenwell.
    Laura Daily, Washington Post, 16 May 2023
  • Find who your friends are and don’t be afraid to ask them for help.
    Billboard Japan, Billboard, 1 Apr. 2024
  • If these things aren’t true, don’t be afraid to find a new agent.
    Kristine Gill, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Nov. 2023
  • Chopard/Jacob & Co. Some celebs weren’t afraid to bust out the bling this week.
    Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 18 May 2024
  • Cats may be afraid of a 200-pound pig, and become stressed out.
    Claire Thornton, USA TODAY, 9 Aug. 2024
  • And don’t be afraid to start clipping off fresh leaves.
    Nevin Martell, Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2022
  • Don’t be afraid to be a student to life again, my sea goats.
    Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Sep. 2023
  • Don’t be afraid to shift and rotate the pan around in the oven during the cooking process.
    Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Jan. 2024
  • Don’t be afraid to lay this one down for a while in your cellar.
    Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2024
  • Apps that aren't afraid to expand to take up the extra room?
    David Nield, WIRED, 17 Dec. 2023
  • In the 1970s, Tyson wasn’t afraid to explore braided looks.
    Akili King, Essence, 19 Dec. 2023
  • The guy who wasn’t afraid to fight always had a book in his locker.
    Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Nov. 2022
  • Many teams are stuck in limbo, afraid to let things rip.
    Mike Murchison, Forbes, 16 Sep. 2024
  • One takeaway from that is that tigers aren’t afraid of bears.
    Matthew Every, Field & Stream, 21 Feb. 2024
  • People are very much afraid of putting color on the walls.
    Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 18 Nov. 2022
  • The $200 arrives after a win or loss, so don’t be afraid to go bold.
    cleveland, 24 Nov. 2022
  • Head to Costco and don't be afraid to buy a second 30-roll pack.
    Tony Quiroga, Car and Driver, 15 Nov. 2022
  • On the other hand, that buffer means the iBuyer is less afraid to mark down the price.
    Lance Lambert, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2022
  • But Vance is also not afraid to exert public pressure, too.
    Olivia Rinaldi, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2025
  • Don’t be afraid to shape and cut back aggressively after a heavy-fruiting cycle.
    Mike Irvine, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Feb. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'afraid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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