Synonyms of afraid

afraid

adjective

ə-ˈfrād 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• scared
• frightened
• terrified
• fearful
• horrified
• alarmed
• shocked
• worried
• upset
• spooked
• aghast
• startled
• nervous
• affrighted
• scary
• panicked
• anxious
• apprehensive
• timid
• appalled
• terrorized
• hysterical
• horror-struck
• disturbed
• wary
• timorous
• shrinking
• panicky
• agitated
• shy
• perturbed
• phobic
• intimidated
• uneasy
• disquieted
• cautious
• careful
• fainthearted
• disconcerted
• coward
• tremulous
• dismayed
• daunted
• jumpy
• jittery
• cowardly
• fearsome
• cowed
• chicken
• funky
• unnerved
• skittish
• craven
• panic-stricken
• pusillanimous
• gutless
• unadventurous
• tremulant
• heedful
• prudent
• lily-livered

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unafraid
• fearless
• daring
• adventurous
• brave
• bold
• spirited
• audacious
• sure
• courageous
• venturesome
• gutsy
• confident
• daredevil
• plucky
• hardy
• dashing
• spunky
• valiant
• heroic
• intrepid
• collected
• composed
• stout
• gallant
• assured
• stalwart
• adventuresome
• cool
• venturous
• valorous
• sanguine
• unperturbed
• resolute
• undaunted
• dauntless
• stouthearted
• manful
• lionhearted

Synonym Chooser

How is the word afraid different from other adjectives like it?

The words apprehensive and fearful are common synonyms of afraid. While all three words mean "disturbed by fear," afraid often suggests weakness or cowardice and regularly implies inhibition of action or utterance.

afraid to speak the truth

When is it sensible to use apprehensive instead of afraid?

The words apprehensive and afraid are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, apprehensive suggests a state of mind and implies a premonition of evil or danger.

apprehensive of being found out

When can fearful be used instead of afraid?

The meanings of fearful and afraid largely overlap; however, fearful implies often a timorous or worrying temperament.

the child is fearful of loud noises

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of afraid

The Netflix model is to crawl, start walking, and then to sprint, not being afraid to change course quickly if things aren’t looking great. — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 17 July 2026

Sometimes in big matches, being afraid of taking a risk is the riskiest strategy of all. — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 16 July 2026

Rich might have been afraid of putting too much explanatory weight on a writer’s existential boredom (or horniness). — Literary Hub, 16 July 2026

My father, documented, afraid, still went every day to pick up his granddaughters at their school bus stop. — Ingrid Rojas Contreras, Time, 16 July 2026