fearful

adjective

fear·​ful ˈfir-fəl 

1

: causing or likely to cause fear, fright, or alarm especially because of dangerous quality

a fearful storm

2

a

: full of fear

fearful for their safety

b

: indicating or arising from fear

a fearful glance

c

: inclined to fear : timorous

3

: very great or bad

—used as an intensive

a fearful waste

fearful slum conditions

fearfully

ˈfir-f(ə-)lē 

adverb

fearfulness

ˈfir-fəl-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of fearful

• terrifying
• frightening
• scary
• formidable
• horrible
• terrible
• intimidating
• dread

Choose the Right Synonym for fearful

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 fearful in a Sentence

He plays the role of a timid and fearful clerk.

They won the war but at a fearful cost.

Recent Examples on the Web

Officials are especially fearful of the tragedy ballooning into a large corruption scandal, experts said. —J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 30 Nov. 2025

If the cat appears feral, fearful, or is living outdoors long-term, Cats Protection advises contacting a local rescue organization for support. —Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025

Still, some Syrians, especially those in minority groups like Christians and Shiites, remain fearful of the foreign fighters who have settled across northern Syria and seem to have no intention of leaving in the imminent future. —Emily Feng, NPR, 25 Nov. 2025

If not through reform, which has been attempted previously with only limited success, then perhaps through a military coup by disgruntled or even fearful top-ranking officers or former officers unwilling to risk another war like the one that killed their predecessors. —Big Think, 25 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English feerful, fereful "inspiring dread, frightened," from fer fear entry 1 + -ful -ful entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for fearful

• cheerful
• tearful

Kids Definition

fearful

adjective

fear·​ful ˈfi(ə)r-fəl 

1

: causing fear

the fearful roar of a lion

2

: filled with fear

fearful of danger

3

: showing or caused by fear

a fearful glance

4

: extremely bad, large, or intense

fearful cold

fearfully

-fə-lē 

adverb

fearfulness noun