afraid

adjective

ə-ˈfrād How to pronounce afraid (audio)
Southern also ə-ˈfred
Synonyms of afraidnext
1
: filled with fear or apprehension
afraid of machines
was afraid for his job
2
: filled with concern or regret over an unwanted situation
I'm afraid I won't be able to go.
3
: having a dislike for something
She's not afraid of hard work. [=she's not unwilling to work hard]

Synonyms of afraid

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fearful, apprehensive, afraid mean disturbed by fear.

fearful implies often a timorous or worrying temperament.

the child is fearful of loud noises

apprehensive suggests a state of mind and implies a premonition of evil or danger.

apprehensive of being found out

afraid often suggests weakness or cowardice and regularly implies inhibition of action or utterance.

afraid to speak the truth

Examples of afraid in a Sentence

Melissa is afraid of flying, so she takes a train from Boston to visit her brother in Chicago.
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.
In recent years, Engelbert’s communication style has been criticized and magnified by these players who aren’t afraid to air their grievances publicly. — Annie Costabile, New York Times, 24 July 2026 For weekend plans, that might mean pairing a flowy dress with a playful handbag; for date night, don’t be afraid to show some skin in a cutout number. — Kelsey Stewart, Glamour, 23 July 2026 But our readers cannot get a full view of the community when people are too afraid to talk. — Annabelle Garland, The Atlantic, 23 July 2026 Banks previously responded to the 2010 measure on debit card swipe fees by eliminating rewards for those cards, and opponents are afraid credit cards will follow. — Alison Durkee, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for afraid

Word History

Etymology

Middle English affraied, afraied, from past participle of affraien "to disturb, frighten" — more at affray entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of afraid was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing afraid

Rhymes for afraid

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Browse Nearby Words

Afr
afraid
afraid for
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Cite this Entry

“Afraid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/afraid. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

afraid

adjective
ə-ˈfrād How to pronounce afraid (audio)
Southern also -ˈfre(ə)d
1
: filled with fear or dread
afraid of snakes
2
: filled with concern or regret
afraid she might be late
3
: having a dislike for something
not afraid to work hard
Etymology

Middle English affraied "filled with fear," from affraien "to frighten," from early French affraier, effreer "to frighten" — related to fray entry 1

More from Merriam-Webster on afraid

Nglish: Translation of afraid for Spanish Speakers

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