Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

apprehensive

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of apprehensive

having specified facts or feelings actively impressed on the mind
  • I'm fully apprehensive of the options, I assure you.
Synonyms of apprehensive

alive, aware, cognizant, conscious, mindful, sensible, sentient, ware, witting
Words Related to apprehensive

alert, attentive, careful, cautious, heedful, observant, open-eyed, regardful, safe, vigilant, wary, watchful, wide-awake

hyperaware, hyperconscious
Near Antonyms of apprehensive

careless, heedless, inattentive, incautious, mindless, unguarded, unheeding, unwary
Antonyms of apprehensive

insensible, oblivious, unaware, unconscious, unmindful, unwitting

Synonym Discussion of apprehensive

fearful, apprehensive, afraid mean disturbed by fear. fearful implies often a timorous or worrying temperament.
    • the child is fearful of loud noises
apprehensive suggests a state of mind and implies a premonition of evil or danger.
    • apprehensive of being found out
afraid often suggests weakness or cowardice and regularly implies inhibition of action or utterance.
    • afraid to speak the truth

Learn More about apprehensive

  1. See words that rhyme with apprehensive Dictionary: Definition of apprehensive Spanish Central: Translation of apprehensive Nglish: Translation of apprehensive for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of apprehensive for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up apprehensive? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games