fear

¹

[feer]

noun

1. a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.

   Synonyms: qualm, trepidation, horror, panic, fright, terror, dread, dismay, consternation, apprehension, foreboding
   Antonyms: intrepidity, calm, security, courage

2. a specific instance of or propensity for such a feeling.

   an abnormal fear of heights.

   Synonyms: bête noire, aversion, phobia, bugbear, bogey, bogy
   Antonyms: predilection, penchant, fondness, liking

3. concern or anxiety; solicitude.

   a fear for someone's safety.

4. reverential awe, especially toward God.

   the fear of God.

   Synonyms: veneration, reverence, respect, awe

5. something that causes feelings of dread or apprehension; something a person is afraid of.

   Cancer is a common fear.

6. anticipation of the possibility that something unpleasant will occur.

   Having grown up during the Great Depression, he had a constant fear of running out of money.

verb (used with object)

1. to regard with fear; be afraid of.

   Synonyms: dread, apprehend

2. to have reverential awe of.

   Synonyms: honor, venerate, revere

3. to consider or anticipate (something unpleasant) with a feeling of dread or alarm.

   It's about to snow again, I fear.

4. Archaic.,  to experience fear in (oneself).

   I fear me he will ne'er forgive us.

verb (used without object)

1. to have fear; be afraid.

   I'll go with you, so do not fear!

2. to feel apprehensive or uneasy (usually followed byfor ).

   In this time of economic instability, I fear for my children's future.

Fear

²

[feer]

noun

1. a river in SE North Carolina. 202 miles (325 km) long.

2. Cape, a cape at its mouth.

fear

/ fɪə /

noun

1. a feeling of distress, apprehension, or alarm caused by impending danger, pain, etc

2. a cause of this feeling

3. awe; reverence

   fear of God

4. concern; anxiety

5. possibility; chance

   there is no fear of that happening

6. to forestall or avoid

7. certainly not

8. to frighten

verb

1. to be afraid (to do something) or of (a person or thing); dread

2. (tr) to revere; respect

3. (tr; takes a clause as object) to be sorry: used to lessen the effect of an unpleasant statement

   I fear that you have not won

4. to feel anxiety about something

5. an archaic word for frighten

Other Word Forms

• fearlessly adverb
• fearlessness noun
• fearer noun
• fearless adjective
• self-fearing adjective
• unfearing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fear¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English fere, Old English fær “sudden attack or danger”; cognate with Old Saxon fār “ambush,” Dutch gevaar, German Gefahr “danger,” Old Norse fār “disaster”

Word History and Origins

Origin of fear¹

Old English fǣr ; related to Old High German fāra , Old Norse fār hostility, Latin perīculum danger

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. for fear of / that, in order to prevent or avoid the risk of.

   She is afraid to say anything for fear of the consequences.

2. put the fear of God in / into, to cause to be greatly afraid.

see fools rush in where angels fear to tread; for fear of; never fear; put the fear of god in.

Synonym Study

Fear, alarm, dread all imply a painful emotion experienced when one is confronted by threatening danger or evil. Alarm implies an agitation of the feelings caused by awakening to imminent danger; it names a feeling of fright or panic: He started up in alarm. Fear and dread usually refer more to a condition or state than to an event. Fear is often applied to an attitude toward something, which, when experienced, will cause the sensation of fright: fear of falling. Dread suggests anticipation of something, usually a particular event, which, when experienced, will be disagreeable rather than frightening: She lives in dread of losing her money. The same is often true of fear, when used in a negative statement: She has no fear of losing her money.

Example Sentences

Hoffman: No. And here’s the reason for that, I’m not opposed to that convo but I think a real fear of an actor is that you’re doing the same thing every time.

From Los Angeles Times

One said she feared she would find her child dead in their bed, while her daughter said withdrawal symptoms from the drug made her feel like she was "dying".

From BBC

In the case of the military troop deployments, for instance, some fear a reversal on appeal could ultimately hand the president broader power to send troops to American cities.

From Los Angeles Times

Australians have a complicated relationship with the sun: they love it, but they also fear it.

From BBC

Indeed, the lines at the Oasis pop-up merch mart in Hollywood have been formidable, as fans rushed to commemorate the reunion they feared might never come.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• alarm 
• angst 
• anxiety 
• apprehension 
• awe 
• concern 
• despair 
• dismay 
• doubt 
• dread 
• horror 
• jitters www.thesaurus.com
• panic 
• scare 
• suspicion 
• terror 
• unease 
• uneasiness www.thesaurus.com
• worry