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
Even Stevens was never afraid to go all out for its constant string of gags and jokes, led by Shia LaBeouf as the immature prankster Louis Stevens.
—
Christian Holub, Entertainment Weekly, 21 June 2026
Many home cooks, afraid to cook fish at home, dip their toe in with salmon.
—Carolynn Carreño, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2026
Instead, don't be afraid to mix and match, the designer suggests.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 20 June 2026
Deidre Hall isn't afraid to showcase her slapping skills.
—Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for afraid
Christian Holub, Entertainment Weekly, 21 June 2026
Many home cooks, afraid to cook fish at home, dip their toe in with salmon.
—Carolynn Carreño, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2026
Instead, don't be afraid to mix and match, the designer suggests.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 20 June 2026
Deidre Hall isn't afraid to showcase her slapping skills.
—Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for afraid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for afraid
Adjective
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Still, farmworkers across the country are scared to go to work.—
Lisa Meierotto,
The Conversation,
22 June 2026
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In Utah, doctors continue to reassure scared patients and lobby for better public health policy.—
Devi Shastri,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
Adjective
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Even young raccoons can bite or scratch when frightened, and wild animals can carry parasites and diseases, says Rakestraw.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
20 June 2026
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When customers are frustrated, frightened, confused or considering leaving, those become high-risk moments.—
Demetri Giannikopoulos,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
Adjective
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Sunday, June 21, at a home in LaGrange, and the suspect’s 2-year-old daughter was among the terrified witnesses, the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office said in court documents.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
23 June 2026
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Psilocybin, in particular, appears to be highly effective for helping people with terminal illnesses feel less terrified of dying.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
Adjective
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The bitcoin price has fallen sharply in recent months, with traders fearful a further bitcoin price crash could be looming.—
Billy Bambrough,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
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This finding specifically held true for people with fearful and preoccupied attachment styles, two subtypes of insecure attachment associated with a craving for intimacy but, respectively, a deep fear of it or a fear of rejection and abandonment.—
Rachel Nuwer,
Scientific American,
20 June 2026
Adjective
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As a horrified Sam inadvertently observes, a creature has been sating itself on his buddy’s brain.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
31 May 2026
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As his tricks progressed, the Young Man felt horrified and confused at the same time.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
Adjective
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Scenes involving firearms alarmed distributors still grappling with the aftermath of the Columbine massacre, while the film’s October release via Newmarket was further complicated by a trailer prominently featuring an airplane crash just weeks after the September 11 attacks.—
José Salazar,
IndieWire,
22 June 2026
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That relationship lasted until 2016, when Mobileye dropped Tesla as a customer after being alarmed that a driver assistance system was being sold to end users as driverless technology.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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Her mom was incredibly proud — and a bit shocked — that a Black man had been elected president.—
Rebecca Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
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While perusing an old friend’s social media account, she was shocked to see a little boy in the background of one of the photos.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
18 June 2026
Adjective
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Many small business owners struggle to provide retirement plans, according to a Senate legislative analyst, and Americans are growing increasingly worried about their financial security in retirement.—
Madeline Luebkert,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
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But, garnering the support from those within the Big Ten and SEC footprint is clearly not an aspect of this process that both Cantwell and Cruz are worried about.—
Trey Wallace,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Afraid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afraid. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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