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 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
Which is why many immigrant community members fear the worst.
1 of 2
An enemy alien identification card of Frances Corsentino, who lived in Los Angeles.
—Allyson Vergara, Orange County Register, 21 Mar. 2025
School officials and advocates are ensuring staff understand the rights to privacy that immigrant students have and how to tackle other issues that may arise such as slipping attendance as undocumented families fear the worst.
—Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, 14 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fear the worst
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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
Which is why many immigrant community members fear the worst.
1 of 2
An enemy alien identification card of Frances Corsentino, who lived in Los Angeles.
—Allyson Vergara, Orange County Register, 21 Mar. 2025
School officials and advocates are ensuring staff understand the rights to privacy that immigrant students have and how to tackle other issues that may arise such as slipping attendance as undocumented families fear the worst.
—Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, 14 Jan. 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 2 Jul. 2025.
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