as in scared
filled with fear or dread
Melissa is afraid of flying, so she takes a train from Boston to visit her brother in Chicago
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of afraid
Everyone was afraid he’d be salvaged.
—
Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
But the left became afraid of strength.
—Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2026
Don't be afraid to use the resources available to you.
—Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 26 Jan. 2026
In the passing game, Stidham can’t be afraid to target Courtland Sutton down the field.
—Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for afraid
Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
But the left became afraid of strength.
—Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2026
Don't be afraid to use the resources available to you.
—Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 26 Jan. 2026
In the passing game, Stidham can’t be afraid to target Courtland Sutton down the field.
—Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for afraid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for afraid
Adjective
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Children are particularly vulnerable due to their smaller size and natural reaction when scared.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN Money,
24 Jan. 2026
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Children of color are scared to be out on the streets and in their cars.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The student’s grandmother, who also lived in the home and was caring for the infant, was too frightened to pick up the older child at school, so officials scrambled to find the child’s uncle.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
31 Jan. 2026
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Firefighters immediately arrived at the scene and pulled frightened residents from windows, stairwells, and elevator shafts as the building erupted into flames.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Barry’s little sister, who answered the call, was terrified.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
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But there’s plenty of agonized screaming, as well as lots of closeups of terrified faces.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Alberto Carvalho said promoting outside play is especially important for children after the city was roiled by immigration raids and many fearful parents kept families indoors.—
Christopher Buchanan,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2026
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This is an inevitable consequence of both political parties, fearful of their extremes, punting for years on an immigration policy that secured the borders and offered a path forward for those who have been here for years and likely now reside in families of mixed citizenship status.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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But some Germans are not thrilled by this American adoption of lüften, posting their own horrified reaction videos to TikTok.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
21 Jan. 2026
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In witness footage shared by the police, the paraglider is seen falling from the sky with a faulty parachute and spiraling quickly towards the waters below, before smashing into the ocean in front of horrified beachgoers.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Regina seemed alarmed by the suggestion.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
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The Santa Venetia neighbors may not be too alarmed at this point, but the county says the levees are a problem now.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Bill Belichick was not voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, a league source confirmed to The Athletic on Tuesday, and folks around the NFL are shocked.—
Amos Morale III,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
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According to Rob Shuter, the whole family is shocked.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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This is a relief for now, but the market won’t stop being worried about memory hurting gross margins until prices come down.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
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Kids were scared, parents were worried, and the shocking crime instantly became a high-profile case, meaning, of course, that there was high pressure to convict.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Afraid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afraid. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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