AFRAID Synonyms: 102 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

afraid

adjective

ə-ˈfrād

Definition of afraid

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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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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of afraid And yet, thematically, the book linked Klassen to a long line of children’s authors, including Edward Gorey and the Brothers Grimm, who were not afraid of nursery noir. — Casey Cep, New Yorker, 7 July 2026 At its core, rock & roll represents a rejection of the status quo — a rebellion against the establishment that isn’t afraid to get loud and cause a little chaos. — Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026 Last season, defenses weren’t afraid of the Patriots’ wide receivers. — Chad Graff, New York Times, 7 July 2026 Savannah Guthrie isn't afraid of a last-minute wardrobe change. — Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for afraid

Recent Examples of Synonyms for afraid

Adjective

On Saturday, July 4, the Kansas City, Kansas, Fire Department rescued a dog that had fallen into a well after running away scared from the sound of fireworks.

— Emily Harter, Kansas City Star, 6 July 2026
Playing happily one second, and too scared to be alone the next.

— Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 5 July 2026

Definition of scared

Adjective

In May, a frightened horse rammed into another carriage, causing the vehicle to flip over, injuring the driver.

— ANDREA SACHS THE WASHINGTON POST, Arkansas Online, 28 June 2026
Rodríguez acknowledged that many remain too frightened to return home even after inspections declared some buildings safe.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 27 June 2026

Definition of frightened

Adjective

The bitcoin price has dropped sharply this year, with traders fearful a further price crash could be looming.

— Billy Bambrough, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Some have encouraged online attendance, while others have offered help doing errands such as grocery shopping for people too fearful to leave their homes.

— Valerie Gonzalez, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026

Definition of fearful

Adjective

The first police officer on the scene quickly ran back to the station for help, while neighbors calmed the horrified Lizzie.

— Sophia Zhang, Encyclopedia Britannica, 16 June 2026
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

Definition of horrified

Adjective

But city officials don’t seem alarmed, saying that the project’s size was bound to change, and that the project is still aligned with the city code.

— Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2026
His long white oval scleras and perfect-circle black pupils, sometimes open and sometimes closed, are always inexplicably expressive—managing to seem happy, sad, scared, sleepy, shifty, angry, eager, alarmed, mischievous, or murderous.

— Casey Cep, New Yorker, 7 July 2026

Definition of alarmed

Adjective

No one is more shocked by this turn of events than KC, who takes his place among the safe Islanders with his mouth hanging open.

— Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 6 July 2026
In a stunning two-minute span in the first half, Bellingham struck twice, leaving Mexico's defense completely shell-shocked.

— Alejandro Avila, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2026

Definition of shocked

Adjective

The 18-year-old was sent to Adelanto ICE Detention Center in handcuffs, nearly a hundred miles away from his worried family members.

— Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Holmes is worried about old shingles and tiles in construction material that could have asbestos leaking into the water supply.

— Mary Ella Hastings July 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 July 2026

Definition of worried

Browse Nearby Words

aforethought

afraid

afreet

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“Afraid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afraid. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of afraid

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