1
as in terrifying
causing fear
the fearful roar of a lion
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, a skeptic of direct confiscation and fearful of legal action from the Kremlin, reiterated that any such disposition must comply with international law.
—
Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Neighbors remain fearful King is currently being held on $5 million bond in Clay County Jail.
—Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 21 Jan. 2026
In a video shown at the event, Furmencio Quiroz recalled leaving with his family, his children fearful because the power had gone out, thinking they would be gone for a short time, but eventually returning to their home reduced to ashes.
—Sierra Van Der Brug, Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
Jamila feels like the president's budget really prioritizes tax breaks for billionaires, really prioritizes creating fearful environments for immigrants in this country.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fearful
Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Neighbors remain fearful King is currently being held on $5 million bond in Clay County Jail.
—Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 21 Jan. 2026
In a video shown at the event, Furmencio Quiroz recalled leaving with his family, his children fearful because the power had gone out, thinking they would be gone for a short time, but eventually returning to their home reduced to ashes.
—Sierra Van Der Brug, Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
Jamila feels like the president's budget really prioritizes tax breaks for billionaires, really prioritizes creating fearful environments for immigrants in this country.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fearful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fearful
Adjective
-
Pregnancy and birth carry its own battles and terrifying statistics.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The editorial board then throws in the new scare tactic for good measure at the end, claiming that there is some terrifying epidemic of puking, screaming and hospitalizations as the result of THC use (relying on spotty data, none of which has been linked to THC beverages).—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The siblings have different personalities, according to their keepers; Xiao Xiao is timid while his sister Lei Lei is fearless and adapts to changes quickly.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
25 Jan. 2026
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Oswald’s timid Ludie is gentle, sad and almost childlike in his lack of assertiveness toward his wife.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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This period of intense study laid the groundwork for what would later become known as the Korean New Wave.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Shares fell during his time in government but rebounded sharply in December, reaching a record high amid intense market interest in AI.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Hundreds of volunteers have packed and delivered grocery boxes to families too afraid to leave their homes.—
Dev Patnaik,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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People are so afraid to go out and participate in public life regardless of their citizenship status.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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But that depiction was picked apart by a vast array of online onlookers, from law enforcement experts to ordinary Instagram users, some of whom replayed the videos frame by frame and zoomed in to show the episode in frightening detail.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
25 Jan. 2026
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The news this week that CPW employees are facing a variety of threats from radical elements in both groups of Coloradans strikes us as ironic sad — and frightening.—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The tech could have an outsized effect on knowledge workers by automating the repetitive, data-intensive cognitive tasks that typically define those white-collar roles.—
Tom Huddleston Jr.,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
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Renee Nicole Good, a mother of three, was shot earlier this month while sitting in her car, while Alex Pretti, an intensive-care nurse, was killed in a separate encounter just over two weeks later.—
Becca Longmire,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The student’s grandmother, who also lived in the home and was caring for the infant, was too frightened to pick up the older child at school, so officials scrambled to find the child’s uncle.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
31 Jan. 2026
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Firefighters immediately arrived at the scene and pulled frightened residents from windows, stairwells, and elevator shafts as the building erupted into flames.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Director Marianna Bassham loves working on pieces that are a bit scary.—
Courtney Cole,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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George Price wasn’t some scary underworld figure.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fearful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fearful. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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