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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of fear
Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 27 June 2025
Gangs, the 18th Street posse in particular, and drug trafficking have trapped working-class immigrants in a cycle of violence and fear.
—Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 27 June 2025
Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2025
Twenty-three crewmen suffered radiation poisoning, and one died that year; many in the country were reluctant to buy seafood, fearing contamination.
—E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for fear
Noun
Travelers have a lot to fear this summer These fears are not irrational.
—Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 27 June 2025
Gangs, the 18th Street posse in particular, and drug trafficking have trapped working-class immigrants in a cycle of violence and fear.
—Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 27 June 2025
Verb
In other parts of Greater Los Angeles, undocumented immigrants — and even those who are here legally but fear racial profiling — are exercising extra caution navigating their daily lives.
—Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2025
Twenty-three crewmen suffered radiation poisoning, and one died that year; many in the country were reluctant to buy seafood, fearing contamination.
—E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for fear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fear
Noun
-
An earlier 2019 study in Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance found turbulence, unfamiliar aircraft noises, and the threat of terror attacks were among the top anxiety triggers.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 June 2025
-
In addition to being an outstanding source of quality protein, vitamins, and minerals, eggs contain choline, an essential nutrient that plays a vital role in brain health and helps to reduce stress and anxiety by improving emotional well-being.—
Alessandra Signorelli,
Vogue,
23 June 2025
Noun
-
The fact Ishiba’s LDP faces an election on July 20 only heightens the BOJ’s worries about the political establishment striking back.—
William Pesek,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
-
But plenty of Republicans have expressed worries about the provision as well, imperiling its passage.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
25 June 2025
Noun
-
On both the commercial, as well as the military side, the ability to deliver against order books was a paramount concern due to the ongoing ramp in commercial deliveries, and the shortfalls in munitions and missiles from wars in Ukraine and the mid-East.—
Jerrold Lundquist,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2025
-
While the full dataset has not been published, the leak already raises concerns over regulatory compliance and consumer protection, especially given the sensitive nature of the firm’s work.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
21 June 2025
Noun
-
The fear is more like a soft surge of dread, as if my synapses had been been rewired to the thrusting strings of John Williams' famous theme.—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
21 June 2025
-
Feelings on the ground range from dread to determination.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 June 2025
Noun
-
Despite the stark beauty in one of the state's most productive agricultural regions, there's a sense of unease among the community's leaders as Congress debates a budget bill that could radically reshape Medicaid, the government health program for low-income people.—
John Daley,
NPR,
22 June 2025
-
Then again, the Justices’ unease about whether children and adolescents can genuinely consent to life-altering treatments would be lacking in the case of adults.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
20 June 2025
Noun
-
Yet rather than panic, creators have been quick to adapt.—
Vivian Toh,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
-
Yet the faces and the fashions, not to mention the paranoia and the panic, feel very Seventies.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
20 June 2025
Noun
-
By the time Jaws’s 45th anniversaries rolled around, society was locked down in the Covid pandemic’s first year, terror gripping communities worldwide.—
Mark Hughes,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2025
-
Izadi had been sanctioned by the U.S. and U.K. over his ties to the Palestinian militant faction Islamic Jihad, which also helped plan the Oct. 7 terror attacks.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
21 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fear. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share