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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Humans are scared of him, so Nero becomes Rocco’s favorite thief.
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People are very scared of being human.
Adjective
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Rodríguez acknowledged that many remain too frightened to return home even after inspections declared some buildings safe.
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Some days are spent inside an Ebola Treatment Unit caring for patients who are frightened, isolated, and desperately ill.
Adjective
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Campbell found the minister on the ground, terrified and in pain.
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Videos show terrified residents and collapsed buildings across Venezuela as powerful back-to-back earthquakes struck the northern coast of the country.
Adjective
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Many are fearful of being out in places with heightened law enforcement or even sending their children to school.
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Despite a strong climate track record, Starmer had avoided talking much about the issue publicly, fearful of how voters would receive it.
Adjective
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The first police officer on the scene quickly ran back to the station for help, while neighbors calmed the horrified Lizzie.
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As a horrified Sam inadvertently observes, a creature has been sating itself on his buddy’s brain.
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.
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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.
Adjective
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Her mom was incredibly proud — and a bit shocked — that a Black man had been elected president.
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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.
Adjective
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Now, multiple residents are left worried about what's to come next week with extremely hot temperatures in the forecast.
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With voters nationwide worried about inflation and the rising cost of living, some Californians might feel less inclined to provide full healthcare coverage to those lacking legal status.
Cite this Entry
“Afraid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afraid. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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