as in worried
to experience concern or anxiety
her friends feared that she was dating a guy who was all wrong for her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 feared
Back in 2020, at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, a UEFA Champions League match between Liverpool and Atletico Madrid was identified as a superspreader event, whilst organizers of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar feared that people might not travel to the country.
—
Simon Chadwick, Forbes.com, 21 May 2026
The mourners started arriving hours early — veterans in uniform, strangers clutching American flags, police officers lining the route — all for a Massachusetts World War II Navy veteran many feared would be buried alone.
—Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 20 May 2026
Tariffs did less harm than feared While tariffs have created uncertainty, Puri and Farka said the economic effect has mostly been less severe than feared because the rates announced on paper do not always match the rates actually imposed.
—Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 20 May 2026
Earlier this year, San Diego Unified’s deal on a contract with its teachers union caused consternation over possible cuts it was feared to have caused to non-teaching staff.
—Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for feared
Simon Chadwick, Forbes.com, 21 May 2026
The mourners started arriving hours early — veterans in uniform, strangers clutching American flags, police officers lining the route — all for a Massachusetts World War II Navy veteran many feared would be buried alone.
—Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 20 May 2026
Tariffs did less harm than feared While tariffs have created uncertainty, Puri and Farka said the economic effect has mostly been less severe than feared because the rates announced on paper do not always match the rates actually imposed.
—Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 20 May 2026
Earlier this year, San Diego Unified’s deal on a contract with its teachers union caused consternation over possible cuts it was feared to have caused to non-teaching staff.
—Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for feared
Recent Examples of Synonyms for feared
worried
Verb
-
Labor interests, in particular, worried that a private Pinnacol would end up raising rates and leaving high-risk industries, such as construction, unable to afford workers’ comp insurance.—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
-
But those lot rents have slowly increased across the state and have priced out some retirees, leaving Good Samaritan residents worried the change in ownership may push them out too.—
Natalia Jaramillo,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Feared.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/feared. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
