1
as in fear
an uneasy state of mind usually over the possibility of an anticipated misfortune or trouble
her apprehensiveness about starting college is keeping her awake at night
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dread
suspicion or fear of future harm or misfortune
my apprehensiveness about raw fish disagreeing with me is keeping me from even trying sushi
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apprehensiveness
Noun
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Mothers told Fletcher of sending their children to live elsewhere for fear they will be raped in the displacement camps, a constant worry.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
15 Sep. 2025 -
The stock is still benefiting from having been dismissed and cheapened by prior fears of its search franchise being disrupted.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Dixon looks ahead with a mix of optimism and dread.—
Sarah Shephard,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
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The assassination of Charlie Kirk has united the parties in a sense of dread that the country has arrived at a dangerous place.—
Mike Lillis,
The Hill,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The vote to approve Miran’s nomination passed 48-47, along party lines, with Democrats expressing concern about the appointment impacting the central bank’s independence.—
Siladitya Ray,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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Motiva is helping to eliminate this concern.—
Megan McIntyre,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Add in the possibility of more extensive – and costly – work such as bridges, crowns, extractions or implants, and the anxiety can grow even stronger.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
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The enthusiasm around personal curriculums and independent learning might reflect modern-day anxieties.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The worry is that these aren’t simple, one-off glitches, but systemic flaws with the way that generative tools are designed and built, and a lack of accountability for the behavior of AI algorithms.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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Taxes at that level were essentially a blockade on commerce between the world's two largest economies, causing worries about global growth that led to negotiations that ratcheted down the tariffs being levied by both nations.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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War games involving Russian and Belarusian troops on Monday spurred unease in Europe, which is already on edge after Russian drones entered Poland and Romania last week.—
J.D. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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Pasteur himself didn’t opine on whether this might threaten existing life, but others were soon expressing unease following his breakthroughs in unlocking life’s chemical secrets.—
Thomas Moynihan,
Big Think,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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For many Americans, the introduction of opaque algorithms adds another layer of uncertainty.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
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A lot can change by 2026, especially with so much uncertainty in the economy and global affairs.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Arresting one person at large can take days or weeks of planning and requires a dozen or so federal police on site to make that apprehension.—
Anna Giaritelli,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Sep. 2025
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The lower multiple reflects investor apprehension surrounding BP’s strategic transitions and mixed earnings.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Apprehensiveness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apprehensiveness. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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