1
as in terrifying
causing fear
the fearful roar of a lion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in timid
easily frightened
the stray cat that we took in is still fearful, even around us
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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 fearful
Julia Louis-Dreyfus provides the voice of Miss Maple, renamed Lily and far more fretful and fearful than in the book.
—
Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 9 May 2026
The siblings were separated and fearful about their future in music, something Venegas didn’t know before inviting Yahritza to sing on the track.
—Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 8 May 2026
Both characters were fearful that their news sources were possibly leading them down the wrong path and that rival reporters on the New York Times would end up scooping them.
—Peter Bart, Deadline, 7 May 2026
In both cases, the more skeptical (or even fearful) member of each couple is confronted by bad behavior from their counterpart.
—Todd Gilchrist, IndieWire, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fearful
Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 9 May 2026
The siblings were separated and fearful about their future in music, something Venegas didn’t know before inviting Yahritza to sing on the track.
—Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 8 May 2026
Both characters were fearful that their news sources were possibly leading them down the wrong path and that rival reporters on the New York Times would end up scooping them.
—Peter Bart, Deadline, 7 May 2026
In both cases, the more skeptical (or even fearful) member of each couple is confronted by bad behavior from their counterpart.
—Todd Gilchrist, IndieWire, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fearful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fearful
Adjective
-
The tech is terrifying, but it’s treated matter-of-factly, played for barked laughs.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
-
Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette star as the main couple, Bear and Nikki, who fall victim to the One Wish Willow, a wish-granting toy with terrifying results.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
Your favorite team probably doesn’t use them much, if at all, because they’re considered extremely difficult and most GMs are timid babies who are afraid of getting yelled at.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
-
That bill is a direct response to a Supreme Court that handed the executive branch a dangerous blank check and a Congress too timid to push back.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
What sets this masa harina apart is its distinct, intense corn flavor.—
Inés Anguiano,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
13 May 2026
-
Being confined to a wooden chair, wearing that impressive multilayered costume, in the intense heat of Gran Canaria.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
That said, Richie isn’t afraid to switch things up.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
19 May 2026
-
Zvyagintsev is not afraid of silence.—
Stephanie Bunbury,
Deadline,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
Eidinger is perfect for the role, and his escalating temper tantrums — almost camp at first, with delicious echoes of Christoph Waltz’s Hans Landa — become frightening in their intensity.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
18 May 2026
-
But at Medley Club, residents never lost power during the entire frightening ordeal.—
Jeffrey Steele,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
Rice University’s Kinder Institute study found that newcomer students in the kindergarten through fifth grade age range who are eligible for intensive newcomer English programs experience a measurable academic boost, lasting up to three years after eligibility.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 May 2026
-
And it is currently made, almost everywhere in the world, through a process that is energy-intensive, waste-heavy, and engineered for an environment with almost no environmental regulation.—
Afdhel Aziz,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Americans in that Nebraska unit are isolated and frightened.—
Craig Spencer,
STAT,
13 May 2026
-
While one held the frightened animal’s head, the other — wearing a sweatshirt with an image of the Virgin Mary — applied the iron to a horn.—
Susanne Rust
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
Part of what makes Nikki so scary is that these intense moments seem to come out of nowhere.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
18 May 2026
-
Two friends from Auburn and Berkeley were meeting halfway for a picnic in Sacramento but said even driving there in the strong wind was scary.—
Kayla Moeller,
CBS News,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fearful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fearful. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
