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
Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
But, so too, did fears of synthetic organisms also begin spreading surprisingly early in the previous century.
—Thomas Moynihan, Big Think, 15 Sep. 2025
Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 12 Sep. 2025
Some fear that the fraught tensions could quickly spiral into more unrest and violence.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fear
Noun
Cancer recurrence is every survivor’s worst fear, yet traditional monitoring often leaves patients waiting months for clarity.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
But, so too, did fears of synthetic organisms also begin spreading surprisingly early in the previous century.
—Thomas Moynihan, Big Think, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
Gibson plays Detective Boswell, while Keitel stars as feared crime boss Dante.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 12 Sep. 2025
Some fear that the fraught tensions could quickly spiral into more unrest and violence.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fear
Noun
-
Add in the possibility of more extensive – and costly – work such as bridges, crowns, extractions or implants, and the anxiety can grow even stronger.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
-
The enthusiasm around personal curriculums and independent learning might reflect modern-day anxieties.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The worry is that these aren’t simple, one-off glitches, but systemic flaws with the way that generative tools are designed and built, and a lack of accountability for the behavior of AI algorithms.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Taxes at that level were essentially a blockade on commerce between the world's two largest economies, causing worries about global growth that led to negotiations that ratcheted down the tariffs being levied by both nations.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The vote to approve Miran’s nomination passed 48-47, along party lines, with Democrats expressing concern about the appointment impacting the central bank’s independence.—
Siladitya Ray,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Motiva is helping to eliminate this concern.—
Megan McIntyre,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Dixon looks ahead with a mix of optimism and dread.—
Sarah Shephard,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
-
The assassination of Charlie Kirk has united the parties in a sense of dread that the country has arrived at a dangerous place.—
Mike Lillis,
The Hill,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
War games involving Russian and Belarusian troops on Monday spurred unease in Europe, which is already on edge after Russian drones entered Poland and Romania last week.—
J.D. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Pasteur himself didn’t opine on whether this might threaten existing life, but others were soon expressing unease following his breakthroughs in unlocking life’s chemical secrets.—
Thomas Moynihan,
Big Think,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
As an adult, financial matters, especially, threw him into a panic and eventually sent him to therapy.—
Duaa Eldeib,
ProPublica,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Even when things might look bleak, investors with cash on hand can afford to wait it out and not panic.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Dallas police identified the suspect as Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, who is being held without bond on a charge of capital murder by terror threat.—
Nic F. Anderson,
CNN Money,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Perhaps, though, Kubrick's cold view of Jack and choice to diminish some of King's sympathetic nuances serve to heighten the terror; how much does knowing the complex motivations of a domestic abuser help their victims?—
James Grebey,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fear. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share