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
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Recent Examples of fear
Josh Meyer, USA Today, 31 May 2026
Their courage was born from fear, one of the survivors told CNN in an exclusive interview.
—Kocha Olarn, CNN Money, 31 May 2026
Sam Gringlas, NPR, 29 May 2026
Yes, but some rank-and-file staffers fear that management’s changes are like hot air, speeding up the melting process.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fear
Noun
Those details have been consistently hidden from the public for fear of aiding those who would do America harm.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 31 May 2026
Their courage was born from fear, one of the survivors told CNN in an exclusive interview.
—Kocha Olarn, CNN Money, 31 May 2026
Verb
Legislators opted to eliminate only one of the majority-Black districts held by Democrats, fearing that going further could make other districts held by Republican incumbents like House Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise too competitive.
—Sam Gringlas, NPR, 29 May 2026
Yes, but some rank-and-file staffers fear that management’s changes are like hot air, speeding up the melting process.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fear
Noun
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Schizophrenia, bipolar, autism, anxiety, depression – all of these topics are almost global bestsellers.—
Jon LaPook,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
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While menopause is biological, many of the symptoms associated with it, including sleep disruption, anxiety, mood instability, brain fog, and fatigue, can also be amplified by chronic stress and nervous system overload.—
Meggen Harris,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Noun
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While there were some concerns about Clark’s availability leading into last week’s Fever-Valkyries game, those worries proved short-lived.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
28 May 2026
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There was a worry that Anunoby would once again miss a significant amount of time in the playoffs due to injury.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
Noun
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Officials have described the overhaul as a long-overdue restoration effort aimed at addressing decades of deferred maintenance, including deteriorating infrastructure, water damage, failing HVAC systems and structural concerns throughout the building.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
28 May 2026
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Earlier polls had raised Democratic concerns that a crowded field could split the party’s vote and allow Hilton and Bianco, the two leading Republicans, to advance.—
John Woolfolk,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
Noun
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Brith, filled with a sudden dread, stands very still, watching it, and the dog, sensing something, emits a low growl.—
Maggie O’Farrell,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
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Her smile in the fantasy is one of relief and clarity, which cuts so hard after watching the dread pile up before Leslie notices her.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
1 June 2026
Noun
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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
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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
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The onboard camera, sending video back to the remote pilot in real time, captures his panic.—
David L. Stern,
Washington Post,
31 May 2026
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In the years following, Beijing funded or armed fellow communists in Vietnam, North Korea, Burma, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia, causing panic in Washington and other Western capitals as the ideological struggles of the Cold War rippled across Asia.—
Dhruv Tikekar,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Noun
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Such moves would severely disrupt Iran’s plan to use their proxy, Yemen’s Houthi terror group, to attack Red Sea shipping.—
Paul Tilsley,
FOXNews.com,
27 May 2026
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Names like Sednaya, and those of other sites run by the military and air force intelligence directorates, marked the boundaries of terror within which an entire society was held captive.—
Amer Matar,
The Dial,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fear. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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