as in scared
filled with fear or dread
Melissa is afraid of flying, so she takes a train from Boston to visit her brother in Chicago
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of afraid
Go Dark Don't be afraid to add bits of gothic drama to bring a moody, mysterious sense to your home.
—
Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Mar. 2025
Don’t be afraid to figure out what that is and find the right way to move forward.
—Stephanie Tharpe, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
Both victims, seventh-grade students at Wallace Middle School, have been home since the attack and are afraid of going back to school, said Farhan Memon, a spokesperson for CAIR.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2025
Looking ahead, Combs is no longer afraid of his condition and hopes to use his platform to support others facing similar struggles.
—Terry Dickerson, NBC News, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for afraid
Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Mar. 2025
Don’t be afraid to figure out what that is and find the right way to move forward.
—Stephanie Tharpe, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
Both victims, seventh-grade students at Wallace Middle School, have been home since the attack and are afraid of going back to school, said Farhan Memon, a spokesperson for CAIR.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2025
Looking ahead, Combs is no longer afraid of his condition and hopes to use his platform to support others facing similar struggles.
—Terry Dickerson, NBC News, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for afraid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for afraid
Adjective
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As the scream queen, there’s a role that Sam’s character can play, either angry at Paul, fighting back, or super scared.—
Barry Levitt,
Rolling Stone,
15 Mar. 2025
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TikTok is eating our lunch, and executives are scared.—
Brian Davids,
The Hollywood Reporter,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Inside, the staff scrambles for cover and a frightened woman and child are seen hiding behind a buffet counter.—
Mark Price,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2025
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Staying apolitical in his work, Lynch expressed the personal idiosyncrasy that reflected his upbringing in Midwest America (born in Missoula, Mont., and of Finnish-Danish heritage) as well as his private, frightened knowledge of national terror.—
Armond White,
National Review,
17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The first grooming session left her dog fearful and anxious, which is common among canines.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
Newsweek,
13 Mar. 2025
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Morale inside the agency has plummeted, and retirees are growing fearful that the system might start faltering in getting checks out.—
Shahar Ziv,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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In the wake of the environmental and women’s movements, citizen activists, mothers of children with birth defects and women with breast cancer became alarmed about the threat of cancer linked to pesticides or industrial pollutants.—
Amy Lauren Fairchild,
The Conversation,
11 Mar. 2025
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For others, the reaction may range from being confused, to downright alarmed.—
Oyku Ilgar,
Forbes,
25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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And it’s paid off; Laymon notes that several people are surprised to see his name in the end credits and even more shocked to realize that the grizzled man sporting scruffy stubble is Stewart.—
Jenelle Riley,
Variety,
21 Mar. 2025
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His illness had only been shared with the world days prior, and his departure from shocked and saddened fans of the group.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes,
19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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About 47 million people faced an enhanced to moderate severe storm threat from Madison, Wis., to Birmingham, Ala. Forecasters grew increasingly worried that intense thunderstorms farther south will likely bring an even greater tornado threat Saturday.—
Sean Murphy and Russ Bynum,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2025
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That’s going to be important because many people are worried about the health of the consumer.—
Adam Sarhan,
Forbes,
14 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Afraid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afraid. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
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