1
as in terrifying
causing fear
the fearful roar of a lion
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in timid
easily frightened
the stray cat that we took in is still fearful, even around us
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fearful
Countries as far afield as Europe have voiced worry, fearful of the risk to their economies.
—
Andy Browne, semafor.com, 14 Apr. 2026
As Kelly would later testify, Garrison seemed particularly fearful of Alfortish.
—Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Some may withdraw from people and seem shy and fearful.
—Dr. Andrew Garner, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2026
Businesses that are fearful that government regulators and juries will clamp down on their wrongdoing.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fearful
Andy Browne, semafor.com, 14 Apr. 2026
As Kelly would later testify, Garrison seemed particularly fearful of Alfortish.
—Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Some may withdraw from people and seem shy and fearful.
—Dr. Andrew Garner, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2026
Businesses that are fearful that government regulators and juries will clamp down on their wrongdoing.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fearful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fearful
Adjective
-
This isn’t the terrifying Frost of modernist criticism—although the poem is fully aware of darkness, and its world, on the cusp of World War I, like ours, certainly had its terrors.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Most prior visits had morphed into extended trips into a terrifying medical underworld — to a purgatory known as emergency department boarding.—
Elisabeth Rosenthal,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
And also the anticipatory obedience by a lot of these news organizations who are more timid.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The film follows Colin (Harry Melling), a timid man who is swept off of his feet by Ray (Alexander Skarsgård), an impossibly handsome biker, who takes him on as his submissive.—
Diana Lodderhose,
Deadline,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The area that would bear the president’s name has been subject to some of the most intense fighting of the modern age, with tens of thousands of Ukrainian and Russian troops killed in the Donbas over the past few years.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Apr. 2026
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What keeps it from feeling too intense or drying for combination skin is the cushion of tea tree leaf water, which helps calm inflammation.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Maybe a lot of producers are Melissas, afraid of the present, looking toward a past that never really existed.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Miami is exceptionally good at finding role players , so don’t be afraid to trade a Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr, etc.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Beats that might once have been framed through a hazy, absurdist lens now play as something much more fatalistic and frightening.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Forget about sonic or other frightening devices.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Data centers also have sharp demand spikes driven by computing-intensive tasks, such as training models.—
Mark Chediak,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Tilson Thomas’ New World Symphony, an ensemble and intensive three-year fellowship program for music school graduates to hone their craft, and its home at the New World Center in Miami Beach, are considered to be crown jewels in the Miami area’s art scene.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Fetch Foster Rescue has taken in animals from households whose homes were completely destroyed, and the organization’s immediate focus is keeping those frightened pets as relaxed as possible while storm cleanup continues across the community.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Apr. 2026
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Witnesses describe the dogs as frightened and wary rather than dangerous — a pair of scared animals looking for food, not a fight.—
Ryan Brennan
April 21,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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This season, Point came back from a scary right knee in January that kept him out of the Olympics.—
Eduardo A. Encina,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 Apr. 2026
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Josh Rottenberg spoke to Odenkirk, 63, about his recent career revision, notable for following his recovery from a scary heart attack.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fearful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fearful. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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