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
  • Does the time feel right to release old fears and remodel your mental reality?
    — USA TODAY, USA Today, 18 July 2026
  • The stalemate has raised fears of an endless war, something Trump campaigned on avoiding, as tit-for-tat attacks continue along an escalating spiral.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 18 July 2026
Definition of fear
Noun
  • Wedding season is in full swing, bringing with it a familiar sense of dread for anyone who fears the dance floor.
    — Chloe Veltman, NPR, 11 July 2026
  • Australian newspapers in the early 1800s offered constant snake coverage, giving a sense of collective dread.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
Definition of dread
Noun
  • Western analysts have raised concerns that Beijing’s expanding role setting global norms around AI will enable it to export the norms of its own highly restrictive media and internet environment.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
  • Alicia Guerra of the firm Buchalter spoke at the June 16 meeting to voice concerns on behalf of the city related to the project.
    — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of concern
Noun
  • His instinctive reaction, tearful after losing another final, was to throw in the towel, to announce his career with Argentina was over at the age of 29, to focus on his club career, which by comparison brought him so much joy and so little anxiety.
    — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 19 July 2026
  • Because of their history of poor sleep, people with insomnia may suffer from anxiety about getting inadequate sleep, which can then increase sleeplessness at night.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson July 18, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 July 2026
Definition of anxiety
Noun
  • It’s made from 100 percent cotton and fully lined for lightweight comfort and worry-free wear.
    — Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026
  • His two biggest worries are that people will potentially lose their business and cities losing the permit income to conduct health inspections.
    — Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026
Definition of worry
Noun
  • Jimmy, an 18-month-old German shepherd-Belgian Malinois mix from Europe, is certified in apprehension and the detection of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and fentanyl.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026
  • During the apprehension, the department’s Crime Prevention Unit was assisting Meriden police in connection with a vehicle that was reportedly tied to the armed robbery.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 9 July 2026
Definition of apprehension
Noun
  • Police said Friday there is no indication that the killing was politically motivated, but her death has renewed unease about the safety of Britain’s politicians after two others were killed in the last decade.
    — Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 11 July 2026
  • The contradictions of their closeness aren’t papered over; the unease is allowed to linger, inflamed and ineradicable.
    — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 9 July 2026
Definition of unease
Noun
  • Kevin Rodriguez eases past Jamal Musiala to flick the ball into the corridor of uncertainty between Manuel Neuer and Jonathan Tah, who had already had a miscommunication earlier in the game.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 14 July 2026
  • This creates uncertainty over which sites contain active weapons and which are merely intended to distract enemy planners.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 14 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 19 Jul. 2026.

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