Fear /fɪə/
noun
noun: fear; plural noun: fears
an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm.
"I cowered in fear as bullets whizzed past"
● Similar:
● Terror ● Suspicion
● Fright ● the creeps
● the willies
● Fearfulness
● the heebie-jeebies
● Horror
● the shakes
● Alarm
● the collywobbles
● Panic ● Jitteriness
● Agitation ● Twitchiness
● Trepidation ● butterflies (in the stomach)
● Funk
● Dread
● blue funk
● Consternation
● the (screaming) abdabs
● Dismay
● the Joe Blakes
● Distress ● Worriment
● Anxiety ● Inquietude
● Worry ● Phobia
● Angst ● Aversion
● Unease ● Antipathy
● Uneasiness ● Bugbear
● Apprehension ● Bogey
● Apprehensiveness ● Nightmare
● Nervousness
● Neurosis
● Nerves
● Complex
● Timidity
● Mania
● Disquiet
● abnormal fear
● Disquietude ● irrational fear
● Discomposure ● obsessive fear
● bête noire
● Unrest
● Hang-up
● Perturbation
● Foreboding
● Misgiving
● Doubt
1. Opposite:
○ Calmness
○ Confidence
a feeling of anxiety concerning the outcome of something or the safety of someone.
"police launched a hunt for the family amid fears for their safety"
the likelihood of something unwelcome happening.
"she observed the other guests without fear of attracting attention"
Similar:
○ Likelihood
○ Likeliness
○ Prospect
○ Possibility
○ Chance
○ Odds
○ Probability
○ Expectation
○ Conceivability
○ Feasibility
○ Plausibility
○ Risk
○ Danger
ARCHAIC
a mixed feeling of dread and reverence.
"the love and fear of God"
Similar:
○ Awe
○ Wonder
○ Wonderment
○ Amazement
○ Reverence
○ Veneration
○ Respect
○ Dread
Opposite:
○ indifference
Verb
verb: fear; 3rd person present: fears; past tense: feared; past participle: feared; gerund or present
participle: fearing
1. be afraid of (someone or something) as likely to be dangerous, painful, or harmful.
"I hated him but didn't fear him any more"
Similar:
1. be afraid of
2. be fearful of
3. be scared of
4. be apprehensive of
5. Dread
6. live in fear of
7. go in terror of
8. be terrified of
9. be terrified by
10. cower before
11. tremble before
12. cringe from
13. shrink from
14. flinch from
15. be anxious about
16. worry about
17. panic about
18. feel consternation about
19. have forebodings about
20. feel apprehensive about
21. be in a blue funk about
22. have a phobia about
23. have a horror of
24. have a dread of
25. shudder at
26. take fright at
feel anxiety on behalf of.
"I fear for the city with this madman let loose in it"
Similar:
○ worry about
○ feel anxious/concerned about
○ have anxieties about
○ have qualms about
○ feel disquiet for
○ be solicitous for
avoid doing something because one is afraid.
"she eventually feared to go out at all"
Similar:
○ be too afraid
○ be too scared
○ be too apprehensive
○ hesitate
○ dare not
○ have cold feet about
used to express regret or apology.
"I shall buy her book, though not, I fear, the hardback version"
ARCHAIC
regard (God) with reverence and awe.
"he urged his listeners to fear God"
Similar:
○ stand in awe of
○ regard with awe
○ revere
○ reverence
○ venerate
○ respect
○ dread
○ be intimidated by
PHRASES
for fear of (or that)
to avoid the risk of (or that).
"no one dared refuse the order for fear of losing their job"
never fear
used to reassure someone.
"we shall meet again, never fear"
no fear INFORMAL•BRITISH
used as an emphatic expression of denial or refusal.
"‘Are you coming with me?’ ‘No fear—it's too exciting here.’"
put the fear of God in (or into) someone
make someone very frightened.
"she hoped the threat would put the fear of God in him"
without fear or favour
impartially.
"take all your decisions without fear or favour"
