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]
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
The staff is crisply professional but not afraid to show personality.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Feb. 2026
And beyond the wall of the main dining room, the second dining area has been turned into a giant food pantry, with neighbors bringing everything from toilet paper to beans to ramen to help feed people who are afraid to leave their homes.
—Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 26 Feb. 2026
Boy, 13, shot in the neck Firsthand testimony of these intimidation tactics is hard to obtain from inside Iran, where many are too afraid to speak out against the regime.
—Jomana Karadsheh, CNN Money, 26 Feb. 2026
This feels like a movie made by artists afraid of their employers as much as their consumers and unsure which group might turn on them first.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for afraid
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Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Feb. 2026
And beyond the wall of the main dining room, the second dining area has been turned into a giant food pantry, with neighbors bringing everything from toilet paper to beans to ramen to help feed people who are afraid to leave their homes.
—Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 26 Feb. 2026
Boy, 13, shot in the neck Firsthand testimony of these intimidation tactics is hard to obtain from inside Iran, where many are too afraid to speak out against the regime.
—Jomana Karadsheh, CNN Money, 26 Feb. 2026
This feels like a movie made by artists afraid of their employers as much as their consumers and unsure which group might turn on them first.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for afraid
Cite this Entry
“Afraid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/afraid. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
afraid
adjective
ə-ˈfrād 
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
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