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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fear
Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Just a few years later, those fears do not weigh nearly as heavily on Republicans.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Starre Vartan, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
Stires fears that outcome and feels like time is running out before the agency makes that move.
—Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fear
Noun
The Founders envisioned a Nation in which religious voices and views are integral to a vibrant public square and human flourishing and in which religious people and institutions are free to practice their faith without fear of discrimination or hostility from the Government.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Just a few years later, those fears do not weigh nearly as heavily on Republicans.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
And social media, Christopher warns, often fills that vacuum with anecdotes and opinions, amplifying confusion and sometimes fear.
—Starre Vartan, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
Stires fears that outcome and feels like time is running out before the agency makes that move.
—Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fear
Noun
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At the council meeting for the resolution, several migrants and their families spoke in favor of its passage, expressing their anxieties in day-to-day life, according to The Chronicle.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
6 Sep. 2025
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The starting point is learning to cultivate present-moment awareness and simply noticing your anxiety.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The prospect of governments being ousted in Tokyo and Paris fueled further uncertainty, while investors voiced worry over expansive deficit spending in London and Berlin.—
Matthew Martin,
semafor.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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My worry is that inaction is not a strategy.—
Shivaram Rajgopal,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
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And Danielson noted that the team now has plenty of time to practice and give attention to areas of concern.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
9 Sep. 2025
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At the same time, concern is growing about how certain food additives and preservatives may disrupt the gut’s delicate balance.—
Abby Norman,
Verywell Health,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The Wax Child is about the dread of living in brutal hierarchies, and the shapes that friendship and protection take to counteract these grim realities.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
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But on a day when Mizzou amassed 595 total yards, converted 4 of 5 fourth downs and got an excellent effort from first-year starting quarterback Beau Pribula, surrendering possession had to fill Kansas followers with a sense of dread.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The brief spasm, though, betrays an unease in the incredibly slim majority Johnson controls and the volatility in his base.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
8 Sep. 2025
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That sense of unease has grown more in recent years, as shifting immigration policies fuel confusion about what protections still exist.—
David Rodriguez Muñoz,
Freep.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
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As an adult, financial matters, especially, threw him into a panic and eventually sent him to therapy.—
Duaa Eldeib,
ProPublica,
10 Sep. 2025
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Even when things might look bleak, investors with cash on hand can afford to wait it out and not panic.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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London — Large crowds of people protesting the British government’s decision to ban the activist group Palestine Action gathered in London’s Parliament Square on Saturday, in a show of continuing support since it was designated as a terror organization in July.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
6 Sep. 2025
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For Bear, the new arrangement is great about 99 percent of the time… the only drawback is that Nikki occasionally snaps back into her old self and screams in utter terror for a few seconds, before resuming the love-bombing.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fear. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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