1
as in anxiety
the emotion experienced in the presence or threat of danger
the sight of the headless horseman filled the schoolmaster with fear
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in worry
an uneasy state of mind usually over the possibility of an anticipated misfortune or trouble
fear for her family's safety drove her to seek help from neighbors she hardly knew
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to worry
to experience concern or anxiety
her friends feared that she was dating a guy who was all wrong for her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of fear
Michael Bloom, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2025
Americans are living in a time of fear.
—Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Kevin Cusick, Twin Cities, 25 Oct. 2025
While race relations during the Civil Rights Movement and Cold War fears prey on the minds of Derry's locals, another horror haunts the rural community.
—Ew Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fear
Noun
Truist upgrades Booking Holdings to buy from neutral Truist says the secular downside risk fears are overdone.
—Michael Bloom, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2025
Americans are living in a time of fear.
—Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
Not as serious as first feared, though Marcus Mariota may still start against the Chiefs.
—Kevin Cusick, Twin Cities, 25 Oct. 2025
While race relations during the Civil Rights Movement and Cold War fears prey on the minds of Derry's locals, another horror haunts the rural community.
—Ew Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fear
Noun
-
That driving tension and anxiety are largely thanks to the team of artisans, which included composer Volker Bertelmann, editor Kirk Baxter and sound designer Paul Ottosson, who worked closely behind the scenes on their respective crafts to bring it together.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
25 Oct. 2025
-
That sense of anxiety is present throughout the book, most vividly in a wide shot of a group of cheerleaders rehearsing in a gym.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Shanahan, the head coach in Washington from 2010 to 2013, once grilled Paulsen on offensive tackle protections out of worry the tight end might have to play emergency tackle in a preseason game.—
Jourdan Rodrigue,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Those worries resulted in a European bank stock selloff last week, although the sector quickly rebounded.—
Tasmin Lockwood,
CNBC,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Takaichi was expected to raise Japan’s security concerns about Beijing’s military build-up to Trump during his visit.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Fears of climate change are decreasing in the United States, China and many Western countries relative to other concerns, according to a new survey.—
Matthew Tostevin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Despite its speculative premise, the series captures the loneliness that has pervaded society since the COVID pandemic and the dread of a future in which artificial intelligence might render human interaction obsolete.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
27 Oct. 2025
-
The resulting amalgam of curious thoughts, heartfelt angst, expressions of longing or dread, make for a raw, touching saga shared by dozens of people, all seemingly looking for meaning.—
Will Tizard,
Variety,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Unlike past contests, this vote has unfolded against a backdrop of deep sociopolitical unease and visible youth engagement.—
Amindeh Blaise Atabong,
semafor.com,
27 Oct. 2025
-
This shift, unprecedented in modern Japanese history, has prompted unease among nationalist groups and some conservative politicians.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The panic began when a pilot reportedly heard knocking on the cockpit door and was unable to contact his crew.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
22 Oct. 2025
-
None of the panic, none of the prophetism.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
That mixture of terror and safety is the secret sauce for Mike Jubie, creator of the Headless Horseman Hayrides and Haunted Houses in New York’s historic Hudson Valley.—
Isabel Rosales,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
-
On the other, a vision of what life would be like without the terror group.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fear. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share