afraid

adjective

\ ə-ˈfrād

, Southern also ə-ˈfred\

Definition of afraid

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 & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about afraid

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Choose the Right Synonym for afraid

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

When Spirit was brought in early last week, the fawn was afraid and rejected bottles, Nicholas said. — Washington Post, "A truck driver stopped to rescue a goat or lamb. Turns out, it was something rare.," 4 June 2019 There’s a sense of history and continuity here, while at the same time not being afraid of the new or the radical. — Mark Holgate, Vogue, "Max Mara’s Ian Griffiths Talks Berlin, Bowie, Politics and Coming of Age in Punk-Era Manchester," 31 May 2019 Let your calendar fill up with plans and don't be afraid to send the first text. — Randon Rosenbohm, Allure, "What June's Pisces Horoscope Predictions Mean for You," 29 May 2019 Since Donald Trump was elected president, gun sales have plummeted because there’s no boogeyman in the White House to make people afraid that their guns will be taken away from them. — Rachel Epstein, Marie Claire, "The Biggest Gun Violence Myths Debunked," 28 May 2019 Finally, don’t be afraid to have a serious crying session. — Irina Gonzalez, Glamour, "OK, but Seriously, How Long Does It Take to Get Over a Breakup?," 28 May 2019 Don’t be afraid to sell yourself — this is a job application after all. — Jamie Ballard, Woman's Day, "How to Become a Virtual Assistant So You Can Work From Home," 7 May 2019 She was pulled out of school at a young age by her mother, who was afraid her daughter would be caught in the middle of the shoot-outs. — Megan Janetsky, Teen Vogue, "Meet the Women Who Detonate Land Mines in Colombia’s Former War Zones," 24 Apr. 2019 Growing up in a working-class family in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic’s capital, Romero developed an early awareness of gender inequality as an inquisitive child who wasn’t afraid to question authority. — Diana Tsui, The Cut, "The Community Activist Who Dresses to Celebrate Her Heritage," 10 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'afraid.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.