fearful

adjective

fear·​ful ˈfir-fəl How to pronounce fearful (audio)
1
: causing or likely to cause fear, fright, or alarm especially because of dangerous quality
a fearful storm
2
a
: full of fear
fearful for his safety
b
: indicating or arising from fear
a fearful glance
c
: inclined to fear : timorous
3
: very great or bad
used as an intensive
a fearful waste
fearful slum conditions
fearfully adverb
fearfulness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for fearful

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 fearful in a Sentence

He plays the role of a timid and fearful clerk. They won the war but at a fearful cost.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But the best argument against the End of Life bill is the fearful example of other nations that have tried the same, namely Belgium and Canada. The Editors, National Review, 27 Nov. 2024 Harbaugh’s not a fearful coach under any circumstances, but his little brother seems to draw out the gunslinger within. Childs Walker, Baltimore Sun, 26 Nov. 2024 Hundreds of people were jailed, making many Cubans fearful of protesting again, says Mr. Arcos. Deepen your worldview with Monitor Highlights. Whitney Eulich, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Nov. 2024 The main barriers for help-seeking include being too embarrassed, shy or fearful of judgment. Natalie Eilbert, Journal Sentinel, 14 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for fearful 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English feerful, fereful "inspiring dread, frightened," from fer fear entry 1 + -ful -ful entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fearful was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near fearful

Cite this Entry

“Fearful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fearful. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

fearful

adjective
fear·​ful ˈfi(ə)r-fəl How to pronounce fearful (audio)
1
: causing fear
the fearful roar of a lion
2
: filled with fear
fearful of danger
3
: showing or caused by fear
a fearful glance
4
: extremely bad, large, or intense
fearful cold
fearfully adverb
fearfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on fearful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!