fear the worst
idiom
: to fear that the worst possible thing has happened
When we heard there had been an accident, we feared the worst.
Examples of fear the worst in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
When more than two weeks go between his letters, though, Julia starts to fear the worst.
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Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 8 Aug. 2025
As custodians of the ultimate game of failure, baseball people are wired to fear the worst possible outcomes.
—Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
When one is found dismembered, the parents of the other two fear the worst.
—K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 9 May 2025
Waking up in the early hours to a loud noise, most people would fear the worst—an intruder in the house.
—Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fear the worst
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Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 8 Aug. 2025
As custodians of the ultimate game of failure, baseball people are wired to fear the worst possible outcomes.
—Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
When one is found dismembered, the parents of the other two fear the worst.
—K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 9 May 2025
Waking up in the early hours to a loud noise, most people would fear the worst—an intruder in the house.
—Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fear the worst
Cite this Entry
“Fear the worst.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fear%20the%20worst. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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