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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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
And some of them were very fearful.
—
Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 3 Mar. 2026
That and the ensuing wave of arrests have made many fearful of taking to the streets again.
—Arkansas Online, 2 Mar. 2026
Is this happening in other agencies, with state employees fearful of speaking up and potentially losing their jobs, as was the fate of the DHS whistleblower?
—Steve Arentz, Baltimore Sun, 2 Mar. 2026
Most would not appear on camera, fearful for their safety.
—Heather Abbott, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fearful
Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 3 Mar. 2026
That and the ensuing wave of arrests have made many fearful of taking to the streets again.
—Arkansas Online, 2 Mar. 2026
Is this happening in other agencies, with state employees fearful of speaking up and potentially losing their jobs, as was the fate of the DHS whistleblower?
—Steve Arentz, Baltimore Sun, 2 Mar. 2026
Most would not appear on camera, fearful for their safety.
—Heather Abbott, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fearful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fearful
Adjective
-
Lisa Piper stood on her back deck and took video of a terrifying scene that played out on the other side of frozen Union Lake as a funnel cloud formed and then dropped toward the ground Friday.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Lisa Piper stood on her back deck and took video of a terrifying scene that played out on the other side of frozen Union Lake as a funnel cloud formed and then dropped toward the ground.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
His hope is to create a new incentive for these timid business leaders, by wiping out a quarter billion or more from their combined market cap.—
Kristin Stoller,
Fortune,
28 Feb. 2026
-
At the heart of the series is Deano’s friendship with Kit, his timid best mate from the wealthy side of town.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The United States has pledged to keep the strait open and has led intense airstrikes targeting Iran's navy and the port city of Bandar Abbas.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Mar. 2026
-
This intense demand is driving significant activity among niche data providers.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Elizabeth Hurley isn't afraid of a re-wear.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
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Don't be afraid of the rainy season.—
Tom Vanderbilt,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
And for Slusser, born and raised as a Christian in Texas, just a year and a half living in Northern California had taken a frightening toll.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
8 Mar. 2026
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Protests that kind of were merging toward violence or at least frightening to our diplomats.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Experts say the unique geology of California’s fields, and the nature of its heavy crude, make new projects, and efforts to pump more oil out of existing ones, costlier and more energy-intensive than drilling in other parts of the country.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Still, the food supply chain is incredibly energy-intensive, with high sums of energy required at each stage of the process.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The facile novelty of adultery is its own mask, a sexy way of dressing up a deep, frightened longing for security.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
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He wasn’t arrested, but Toni Jo was frightened enough to relinquish custody of him and return to Saudi Arabia.—
James Verini,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
It’s been scary being a part of these franchises with big followings for such a long time.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Mar. 2026
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But John is, as established, too dense to be truly affected by any scary woman.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fearful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fearful. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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