FEARFUL Synonyms: 243 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'fearful' different from other adjectives like it?

The words afraid and apprehensive are common synonyms of fearful . While all three words mean "disturbed by fear," fearful implies often a timorous or worrying temperament. // the child is fearful of loud noises

Q: When can 'afraid' be used instead of 'fearful'?

While the synonyms afraid and fearful are close in meaning, afraid often suggests weakness or cowardice and regularly implies inhibition of action or utterance. // afraid to speak the truth

Q: When is it sensible to use 'apprehensive' instead of 'fearful'?

The synonyms apprehensive and fearful are sometimes interchangeable, but apprehensive suggests a state of mind and implies a premonition of evil or danger. // apprehensive of being found out

fearful

adjective

ˈfir-fəl

Definition of fearful

as in terrifying

causing fear the fearful roar of a lion

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in timid

easily frightened the stray cat that we took in is still fearful, even around us

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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

Synonym Chooser

How is the word fearful different from other adjectives like it?

The words afraid and apprehensive are common synonyms of fearful. While all three words mean "disturbed by fear," fearful implies often a timorous or worrying temperament.

the child is fearful of loud noises

When can afraid be used instead of fearful?

While the synonyms afraid and fearful are close in meaning, afraid often suggests weakness or cowardice and regularly implies inhibition of action or utterance.

afraid to speak the truth

When is it sensible to use apprehensive instead of fearful?

The synonyms apprehensive and fearful are sometimes interchangeable, but apprehensive suggests a state of mind and implies a premonition of evil or danger.

apprehensive of being found out

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 But in an edited video put out by the White House that showed her march to the podium, set to pickup-truck-commercial music, Zacharia appeared visibly fearful. — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 16 Oct. 2026 Some online have pledged to never ride a roller coaster again, too fearful of the unimaginable horror of falling out. — Taylor Croft, AJC.com, 14 Oct. 2026 And many immigrants are staying in abusive relationships, fearful of calling for help or even stepping outside their homes. — Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, 14 Oct. 2026 Many of China’s trading partners are facing weak growth prospects and are fearful of their manufacturing industries being overrun by exports from China, said Eswar Prasad, a professor of economics and trade policy at Cornell University. — ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fearful

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fearful

Adjective

What started as a routine bike ride home turned into a terrifying fight for survival for Katherine Marroquin on Sunday night.

— Naveen Dhaliwal, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
In Carroll Gardens, says Cavallo, a house on Henry Street, between Carroll and President, is so terrifying some kids have to cross the street.

— Fiorella Valdesolo, Curbed, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of terrifying

Adjective

George Bonanno, a psychologist at Columbia University, explains that many people who have intense symptoms initially—such as nightmares and flashbacks—won’t develop PTSD.

— Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Still, the competition among jewelers is becoming more intense, not only for sports team’s commissions but also to design ever flashier pieces with intricate details.

— Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of intense

Adjective

Once again, Slow Horses isn’t afraid to acknowledge its heroes are in a terrible situation and will pay the price for it.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
Fond of travel but afraid to fly, Pan would take longish vacations in the Mediterranean, the Middle East, or Mexico, sometimes accompanied by his nieces.

— David Hajdu, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of afraid

Adjective

As the frightening phantom of Frank the Bunny warns, this parallel reality has a ticking clock that’ll result in its imminent collapse in just 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 12 seconds.

— Jeff Spry, Space.com, 26 Oct. 2026
For neighbors, the crash brought a frightening interruption to an otherwise routine afternoon.

— Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of frightening

Adjective

Just a half-hour north of San Diego, the property is comprised of over 600 acres of hills, meadows, Japanese gardens, and citrus groves, including 30 miles of private hiking trails and five acres of bio-intensive gardens.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
On the cost side, Zuckerberg did acknowledge that Muse is currently very compute-intensive.

— Zev Fima, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of intensive

Adjective

Discovering that your identity has been stolen can leave you feeling angry, frightened and unsure where to begin.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
In one video, a young orangutan can be seen crouching in the corner of a small, dark crate, its frightened eyes wide open.

— Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of frightened

Adjective

Bad dreams – like scary stories – work as fire drills for the developing brain.

— Liz Rosenberg, The Conversation, 23 Oct. 2026
There, shortly after fully participating in a practice as if nothing ever happened, the rookie linebacker recapped the scenes from perhaps the scariest moment of his football career three days prior.

— Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of scary

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“Fearful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fearful. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of fearful

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