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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of afraid
Mohamed said that there are still community members afraid to go about their daily lives.
—
Conor Wight, CBS News, 7 Mar. 2026
Anybody that doesn’t get afraid of those kind of things is crazy.
—Todd Gilchrist, IndieWire, 7 Mar. 2026
Jalen Stroman seems like their type as a downhill player who isn’t afraid to hit in run support.
—Jesse Newell, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
In the age of streaming slop designed to appeal to as many people mid-Instagram-scroll as possible, there’s something wonderful about a film that’s not afraid to embrace its specificity.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for afraid
Conor Wight, CBS News, 7 Mar. 2026
Anybody that doesn’t get afraid of those kind of things is crazy.
—Todd Gilchrist, IndieWire, 7 Mar. 2026
Jalen Stroman seems like their type as a downhill player who isn’t afraid to hit in run support.
—Jesse Newell, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
In the age of streaming slop designed to appeal to as many people mid-Instagram-scroll as possible, there’s something wonderful about a film that’s not afraid to embrace its specificity.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for afraid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for afraid
Adjective
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And so understandably, Steve was scared and worried about Tony's wellbeing.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
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The other version of Eztatlán is one most people are scared to talk about.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The facile novelty of adultery is its own mask, a sexy way of dressing up a deep, frightened longing for security.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
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He wasn’t arrested, but Toni Jo was frightened enough to relinquish custody of him and return to Saudi Arabia.—
James Verini,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Everyone is terrified but grateful for this gift Ennis and Gary have given them.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
9 Mar. 2026
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But her mother, too terrified to take out the garbage, let alone venture through the city to a hospital, canceled the procedure.—
Kate Wells,
NPR,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Residents in the capital told ABC News the streets were quiet on Monday, with many people having left or else sheltering indoors fearful of airstrikes.—
Patrick Reevell,
ABC News,
10 Mar. 2026
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The other aunt, who does not have children, is in hiding — fearful to approach her front door and risk being seen.—
Anna Heqimi,
Hartford Courant,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Hamilton and Madison would have been aligned in horrified opposition had Washington, without congressional action, dispatched gunboats to sink British ships.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
5 Mar. 2026
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And the posts do tend to trigger horrified reactions from other TikTok users.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The law enforcement steps have alarmed election officials and Democrats who fear that the administration is building an argument for interfering in this year’s midterm elections.—
Isaac Arnsdorf,
Washington Post,
9 Mar. 2026
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Donnie is alarmed to find her in a room that, according to the board, is unoccupied.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Still, the deal still did catch some off guard, including the trial’s own judge Judge Arun Subramanian, who was shocked to learn that while an agreement was reached last week, the court wasn’t alerted until Monday.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
9 Mar. 2026
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Even Jordan looked shocked as the audience rose to its feet and Viola Davis, the award’s presenter, celebrated.—
Jake Coyle,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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His first attempt was aborted after a phone call with his worried mother, and the second and third attempts were derailed because the team officials suspected his intentions and dropped him from the squad.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
12 Mar. 2026
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Easy-to-install solar panels that plug into a regular outlet are getting attention just as Americans are worried about rising energy costs.—
Jeff Brady,
NPR,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Afraid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afraid. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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