SINCE 1828

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

afraid so

Definition of afraid so

—used as a way of making an affirmative statement when one wants to show regret at having to do so

"Is it raining?" "I'm afraid so."

Word by Word Definitions

afraid play

: filled with fear or apprehension
: filled with concern or regret over an unwanted situation
: having a dislike for something

See the full definition of afraid

Seen and Heard

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WORD OF THE DAY

adversity

play

serious difficulty or misfortune

Words at Play

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In the past, you could invent fruit.

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Shortening 'usual': easy to say, hard to spell

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The Origins of 'Lobbyist'

From the front hallways to the back rooms

Ask the Editors

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Words of the Year: 1066

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Irregardless

It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).

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Weird Plurals

One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?

Word Games

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The Exceptions Quiz III

Which of these things doesn't belong?

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Forms of Government Quiz

Name that government! Or something like that.

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Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

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Word Winder's CrossWinder

Word Winder's CrossWinder

A game of winding words.

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