1
as in terrifying
causing fear
the fearful roar of a lion
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2
as in timid
easily frightened
the stray cat that we took in is still fearful, even around us
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3
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
the fearful wind and cold simply made being outside a miserable experience
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4
as in afraid
filled with fear or dread
fearful of venturing out onto the dark highway, the stranded motorist decided to wait in the car for help
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fearful
However, the majority of Americans are still fearful about the possibility of a recession.
—
Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 May 2025
Their circle of friendship became a haven in a totalitarian state that sought to isolate individuals, instill fear and transform these estranged and fearful people into part of a mass society.
—Peter Nguyen, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2025
But the hauling and dumping operation has led to a dramatic fallout between county officials and Tujunga residents and is another example of a community fearful of accepting debris related to the Eaton and Palisades fires.
—Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Victim fearful of ex-boyfriend In court documents, Garcia-Molina described how Nathan stalked her after their five-month relationship, which ended in November 2024.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fearful
Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 May 2025
Their circle of friendship became a haven in a totalitarian state that sought to isolate individuals, instill fear and transform these estranged and fearful people into part of a mass society.
—Peter Nguyen, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2025
But the hauling and dumping operation has led to a dramatic fallout between county officials and Tujunga residents and is another example of a community fearful of accepting debris related to the Eaton and Palisades fires.
—Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Victim fearful of ex-boyfriend In court documents, Garcia-Molina described how Nathan stalked her after their five-month relationship, which ended in November 2024.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fearful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fearful
Adjective
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The family eventually crosses paths with a corrupt theme-park operator (John Ortiz), his sheriff (Colin Hanks) and a terrifying crime boss (Sharon Stone) before chaos ensues.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
15 May 2025
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The additional terrifying factor was that the plane had only three minutes of fuel left — and Cruise had still not gotten up.—
Antonia Blyth,
Deadline,
14 May 2025
Adjective
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The Makos athletes also noticed that their parents were timid around water.—
Tribune News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 May 2025
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Haney looked timid and afraid for the first four rounds before finding his legs and winning a unanimous decision in a lackluster fight with Jose Ramirez.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
4 May 2025
Adjective
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That evening, there was intense fighting between the Army and the R.S.F, but Wanis slipped outside anyway.—
Nicolas Niarchos,
New Yorker,
19 May 2025
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Losing someone the caliber of Soto’s track record stung the Yankees and certainly their fans based on the reaction of an intense Subway Series.—
Larry Fleisher,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
Adjective
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Namely, attendees can expect a number of high-energy sets from various DJs — who hopefully aren’t afraid of heights — throughout the temporary venue’s run, starting with a sneak peek performance by Carlita on May 16.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
12 May 2025
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Of course, none of this is easy—many of us are conditioned to wait for a chain of approvals or are afraid of making mistakes.—
Vanina Marcote,
Forbes.com,
12 May 2025
Adjective
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And that was a very clear and real and frightening constant thought.—
Jack Royston,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 May 2025
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Major cities like New York were already facing frightening death tolls that climbed higher each day—but that’s not what Eddington is about.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
17 May 2025
Adjective
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Every celebrity — no matter how small — had at least one stalker or someone obsessed with them, and no fan was creepier or scarier than the ones obsessed with child stars.—
Lizz Schumer,
People.com,
14 May 2025
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Here’s a scary scenario: You’ve been put in charge of air traffic control at Newark airport near New York.—
Steve Nadis,
Quanta Magazine,
12 May 2025
Adjective
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Ryan Murphy has found his Kennedys after an intensive casting search for the first installment of his new FX anthology series, American Love Story.—
Meredith Kile,
People.com,
13 May 2025
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The department conducts an annual review of each state, and a more intensive one that’s supposed to be completed roughly every five years.—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
13 May 2025
Adjective
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The frightened Maltese was swimming in circles, but Desalvo and his colleagues were able to pull her to safety.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
10 May 2025
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The first few attempts to free the dog failed, then the rescuers cleverly used a tarp to hoist the frightened animal to safety.—
Kendall Malinchock,
USA Today,
9 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fearful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fearful. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
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