1
as in anxiety
the emotion experienced in the presence or threat of danger
the sight of the headless horseman filled the schoolmaster with fear
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in worry
an uneasy state of mind usually over the possibility of an anticipated misfortune or trouble
fear for her family's safety drove her to seek help from neighbors she hardly knew
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to worry
to experience concern or anxiety
her friends feared that she was dating a guy who was all wrong for her
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of fear
Katie Campione, Deadline, 7 June 2026
But that’s hard to square with the panic that took hold of Moscow last month, when an annual military parade was shortened for fear it would be interrupted by Ukrainian drones.
—Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 7 June 2026
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2026
Residents fear the coming months will bring worse conditions as summer heat intensifies and hurricane season begins.
—ABC News, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for fear
Noun
That essence of the girl who feels worthless and fears she’ll be found out by everyone still exists in Yasmin in Season 4.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 7 June 2026
But that’s hard to square with the panic that took hold of Moscow last month, when an annual military parade was shortened for fear it would be interrupted by Ukrainian drones.
—Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 7 June 2026
Verb
Our politicians didn’t have the courage to do that, fearing the wrath of Bears fans.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2026
Residents fear the coming months will bring worse conditions as summer heat intensifies and hurricane season begins.
—ABC News, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for fear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fear
Noun
-
The Tonys are a place to put on a brave face, but will the anxiety creep in?—
Vulture Editors,
Vulture,
8 June 2026
-
Acting as both tour guide and impromptu airplane anxiety therapist is all part of the job for Swanstrom.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
Wembanyama finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in the loss but downplayed any worries about the team’s struggles after the game.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
-
Stocks also came under pressure on Middle East worries.—
Lee Ying Shan,Justina Lee,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Analysts have previously expressed concern that US stocks of the interceptors have been depleted by the Iran conflict as well as by last year’s 12-day war between Israel and Iran, and noted that manufacturing more takes time.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
-
Those concerns that chopped 30% off cyber stocks earlier this year could not have been more wrong, as Jim Cramer had said all along.—
Zev Fima,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Finding the police at our place, then, wasn’t really a surprise, and my pulse returned to its usual rhythm, oddly calmed by the fact that the dread had finally left my heart.—
Andrea Bajani,
New Yorker,
7 June 2026
-
The prospect of voters heading to the polls in November to decide whether to give themselves a break on their property taxes has put cities in South Florida and across the state on edge, triggering alarm and dread.—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
The constant movement might make some audience members dizzy, yet its jitteriness signifies the anxiety and unease of the characters, both in their skin and with each other.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
25 May 2026
-
All that party infighting — present before every primary, but at a fever pitch now — comes against a backdrop of broader voter unease about the war in Iran, volatile oil and gas prices, and the burgeoning threat of AI to the American workforce.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
24 May 2026
Noun
-
Ednar Dayanghirang, director of the Office of Civil Defense in a nearby southern region, said more than 100 students attending morning flag-raising ceremonies sustained bruises and some fainted in panic at different elementary and high schools.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
-
But that’s hard to square with the panic that took hold of Moscow last month, when an annual military parade was shortened for fear it would be interrupted by Ukrainian drones.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
LaBeouf’s campaign of terror ended when he was arrested for punching several people outside the Royal Street Inn & R Bar.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
-
The sheer terror of marathon training certainly kept me off cigarettes for a solid six months.—
Kimberly McCreight,
Time,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fear. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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