as in worries
to experience concern or anxiety
her friends feared that she was dating a guy who was all wrong for her
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Recent Examples of fears
Beautiful, high-energy, charming, unfiltered, fun and funny, with a quick wit and gallows humor, Margaret adores her daughter fiercely and completely, but also fears losing her love.
—
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 2 June 2026
The Lithuanian government fears the Baltic states will be Russia’s logical next target because the Kremlin has gone over a cliff in transforming the country’s economy into a war machine.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 31 May 2026
Iran detests the secular Shi’a government of Azerbaijan, its close relationship with the Sunni regional power Turkey, and its cooperation with Israel, and fears the emergence of transport corridors that could bypass it and weaken its regional leverage.
—Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
Leo also fears that human choice is becoming more removed from the execution of war.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 30 May 2026
Europe bolsters military alliances over Russia fears Mounting concern in Europe over Russia’s military ambitions — and a lack of confidence in US support — is driving new defense alliances across the continent.
—semafor.com, 29 May 2026
Ukraine has also entered into joint drone production agreements with countries in the European Union, which fears that Russian President Vladimir Putin has military ambitions beyond Ukraine.
—Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2026
Beverly Wright, whose family in New Orleans goes back eight generations, fears relocation could fracture the city.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 25 May 2026
Svetlana Gannushkina, an 88-year-old human rights defender who lived through the Soviet era, fears a return to its familiar terrors under Putin.
—Anna Nemtsova, Time, 23 May 2026
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 2 June 2026
The Lithuanian government fears the Baltic states will be Russia’s logical next target because the Kremlin has gone over a cliff in transforming the country’s economy into a war machine.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 31 May 2026
Iran detests the secular Shi’a government of Azerbaijan, its close relationship with the Sunni regional power Turkey, and its cooperation with Israel, and fears the emergence of transport corridors that could bypass it and weaken its regional leverage.
—Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
Leo also fears that human choice is becoming more removed from the execution of war.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 30 May 2026
Europe bolsters military alliances over Russia fears Mounting concern in Europe over Russia’s military ambitions — and a lack of confidence in US support — is driving new defense alliances across the continent.
—semafor.com, 29 May 2026
Ukraine has also entered into joint drone production agreements with countries in the European Union, which fears that Russian President Vladimir Putin has military ambitions beyond Ukraine.
—Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2026
Beverly Wright, whose family in New Orleans goes back eight generations, fears relocation could fracture the city.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 25 May 2026
Svetlana Gannushkina, an 88-year-old human rights defender who lived through the Soviet era, fears a return to its familiar terrors under Putin.
—Anna Nemtsova, Time, 23 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fears
worries
Verb
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His comments come as concerns mount over the possibility of AI replacing jobs and worries that the tech is moving too quickly.—
Annie Palmer,Samantha Subin,Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
1 June 2026
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Wall Street worries the Fed is wildly off course in fighting inflation.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fears.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fears. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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