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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The fear was that Jayden Daniels would be limited, that the brace on his left knee — or the knee itself — would hinder his running or his elusiveness, eliminate his quick cuts or somehow slow him down.—
Nicki Jhabvala,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025 -
Colangelo added that, in these depictions, the fear of transness is more present than the fear of being killed.—
Mathew Rodriguez,
Them.,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The move, which had been expected for weeks, is nonetheless being greeted with dread inside the news division.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Oct. 2025
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But few Dracula adaptations can summon the depth of feeling and atmospheric dread of Tod Browning's 1931 adaptation.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The Phillies entered the ninth trailing 4-1 and quickly reminded the Dodgers why their bullpen concerns are so loud.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
On the heels of Karen’s sentencing, the women gather at Gizelle’s house to commiserate, and spend the whole scene dancing between concern, empathy, and absurdity.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
Vulture,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The nation’s third shutdown in 12 years has again raised anxiety levels among service members and their families as those in uniform are working without pay.—
Fortune,
Fortune,
11 Oct. 2025
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In the book, she's portrayed as someone suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and on anxiety medication, both of which are used to discredit her and paint her as unwell.—
Rebecca Aizin,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Dreaming of worry-free cleaning?—
Sian Babish,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
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Washington — Persistent worries about the higher cost of living and few job opportunities pushed consumer sentiment down to its seventh-lowest level in October, on records going back to 1952.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
News of the deaths ricocheted through the prison system, spreading fear and unease.—
Jennifer Gonnerman,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
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The university acknowledged receiving messages expressing unease about the event, which was organized by the campus's chapter.—
Michael Ruiz , Stepheny Price , Preston Mizell,
FOXNews.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Entrepreneurs hoping to make a name in the tech scene may hear O’Kelley’s early career journey and wince at the repeat firings and uncertainty that came with it.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
10 Oct. 2025
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The new test, which boasts a 96 percent accuracy rate, offers a major step forward for patients who have often faced years of uncertainty and misdiagnosis.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
To exert brute force without apprehension.—
Joel Lorenzi,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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So did apprehensions of people with charges pending but no convictions.—
Juan Cordoba,
Arkansas Online,
5 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Apprehensiveness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apprehensiveness. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
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