apprehensiveness

noun

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
  1. fear
  2. dread
  3. concern
  4. anxiety
  5. worry
  6. apprehension
  7. unease
  8. uncertainty
Noun
  • However, analyst Gavin Parsons highlighted that an acceleration in organic revenue growth would settle market fears.
    — Assiatou Hann, CNBC, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Herzog raised fears that the mayor’s rhetoric stokes hate against Jews, including in New York City, which holds the largest Jewish population of any city in the United States.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of fear
Noun
  • There’s no wonder or dread in this future — just the resigned acceptance that nothing is remarkable, despite all the nifty gadgets everyone has.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026
  • The fantasy series’ new season will also introduce the dread Nazgnagôl, Sauron’s Second Age ring-servants.
    — Debbie Day, Entertainment Weekly, 24 July 2026
Definition of dread
Noun
  • The iPhone’s success, however, has satisfied some of those concerns for now, especially since Apple can partner with other companies like Google to use their AI models.
    — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
  • Anne Arundel County has said the safety concerns stemmed from unpermitted construction work in the building's underground parking garage.
    — Drew Aunkst, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Definition of concern
Noun
  • The headlines often focus on uber-selective colleges and universities, the lengths students and parents will go to access them, and the parts of the process of applying that evoke the most anxiety.
    — Brennan Barnard, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • One of the most dreadful packing pain points is the anxiety of whether everything will actually fit in your suitcase, which, thankfully, my Away Bigger Carry-on has eliminated.
    — Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of anxiety
Noun
  • There have also been growing concerns that AI companies are propping each other up through a web of funding deals, with Nvidia at the heart of those worries.
    — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
  • Those worries came to a head after the May election rout, leading to Starmer’s fall and Burnham’s rise.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 July 2026
Definition of worry
Noun
  • Americans’ apprehension about artificial intelligence isn’t stopping them from using it at work.
    — Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 21 July 2026
  • Gulf states are looking on with growing apprehension as the conflict between Iran and the US escalates again.
    — Jomana Karadsheh, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
Definition of apprehension
Noun
  • Shares of Google parent Alphabet were around 4% lower in premarket trading, but that primarily reflected investor unease over rising AI spending outlined in the company's earnings report on Wednesday.
    — Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 23 July 2026
  • There’s understandably a lot of unease and a lot of complaint.
    — David Frum, The Atlantic, 22 July 2026
Definition of unease
Noun
  • As housing costs rise, residency policies change, remote work matures, and global uncertainty reshapes long-term planning, prospective expats are looking beyond yesterday's relocation favorites.
    — Meggen Harris, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Some state officials criticized the move as adding unneeded instability and uncertainty to running elections.
    — Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 21 July 2026
Definition of uncertainty
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.

Browse Nearby Words

apprehensively
apprehensiveness
apprentice
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Cite this Entry

“Apprehensiveness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apprehensiveness. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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