1
as in fear
an uneasy state of mind usually over the possibility of an anticipated misfortune or trouble
her apprehensiveness about starting college is keeping her awake at night
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dread
suspicion or fear of future harm or misfortune
my apprehensiveness about raw fish disagreeing with me is keeping me from even trying sushi
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apprehensiveness
Noun
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Future Hall of Fame QBs are built to block out fear and bury doubt.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026 -
According to some experts, this paralyzing fear and desperation are factors that scammers exploit to put their criminal schemes into action.—
Albinson Linares,
NBC news,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The many leaps in time to the wedding—to which Ruben shows up on a motorcycle, angry enough to knock his brother out with a single punch—consistently ratchet up the sense of dread, and the suspense over why or how these two have stayed enmeshed.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
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But fights are just as integral to the Netflix show created by Lee Sung Jin, and the series’ sound team needed to do even more meticulous work building visceral senses of anger, stress, and dread that slowly swallow up the characters and steer them into making a compounding set of poor decisions.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The front office also faced growing concerns about whether Reese’s presence would deter the signing of returning veterans and key free agents the Sky had targeted.—
Kalen Lumpkins,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
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Mercury in your 2nd House of Values keeps practical concerns active.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Incoming college freshmen are easy targets for people looking to profit from anxiety about loneliness, which the former US Surgeon General called an epidemic.—
Mary Frances Ruskell,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2026
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Maygen says Paisley has struggled with anxiety ever since being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 2 years old.—
Nicki Cox,
PEOPLE,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Kids today have the same worries about careers and friendships that his generation did.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
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The worry is that the government is throwing taxpayer money at a solution that will not save the airline long-term.—
Donald Judd,
CNN Money,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But in recent months, the federal government significantly reduced those apprehensions, instead focusing on arrests at immigrants’ homes or places of business.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
24 Apr. 2026
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His record includes 200 deployments and 16 apprehensions.—
J.D. Miles,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Tens of thousands of layoffs at Meta over the last four years as the company balances its AI ambitions with investor unease.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
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At the same time, Burry signaled growing unease with the broader market after a relentless rally to record highs despite persistent geopolitical tensions.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The uncertainty over how the Supreme Court will rule could be an extra inducement for people suing Bayer to accept the pending deal, which is not dependent on the outcome of the case.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
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And du Rusquec’s quiet exit, without a media announcement or permanent replacement, adds to the uncertainty around the brand’s direction.—
Maliha Shoaib,
Vogue,
27 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Apprehensiveness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apprehensiveness. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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