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
Longtime transatlantic partners now differ on issues ranging from the conduct and conclusion of the Iran war to support for Ukraine; meanwhile, Japan fears the US is prioritizing accommodating China over backing its Asian allies.
—
Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 16 June 2026
As the fictional capsule approaches the point of neutral gravity for the second time, the crew fears getting stuck there.
—Neil Oseman, Space.com, 14 June 2026
Anthropic fears that powerful AI models like Mythos could allow bad actors to use AI systems to commit crimes, from launching crippling cyberattacks against critical infrastructure to designing bioweapons that could kill masses of people.
—Jared Perlo, NBC news, 11 June 2026
The agents personify a government that desperately fears how the public will react to intel about our decades-long interactions with other species that have kept under lock and key.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 9 June 2026
Vance’s referral to the new National Fraud Enforcement Division sharpens scrutiny of the White House’s ‘war on fraud’ and fears the unit could be weaponized against Democratic opponents.
—Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
But in an era that fears formality, Miss Manners thanks you for keeping alive the notion that informality can still be misplaced.
—Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 8 June 2026
Thus, Gallner fears that his days as Rehmeier’s go-to guy are coming to an end.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2026
The decision is sparking alarm among experts that US is taking eyes off the oceans at a dangerous time of record-breaking sea temperatures, an imminent super El Niño and fears a critical system of ocean currents could collapse, ushering in global chaos.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 3 June 2026
Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 16 June 2026
As the fictional capsule approaches the point of neutral gravity for the second time, the crew fears getting stuck there.
—Neil Oseman, Space.com, 14 June 2026
Anthropic fears that powerful AI models like Mythos could allow bad actors to use AI systems to commit crimes, from launching crippling cyberattacks against critical infrastructure to designing bioweapons that could kill masses of people.
—Jared Perlo, NBC news, 11 June 2026
The agents personify a government that desperately fears how the public will react to intel about our decades-long interactions with other species that have kept under lock and key.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 9 June 2026
Vance’s referral to the new National Fraud Enforcement Division sharpens scrutiny of the White House’s ‘war on fraud’ and fears the unit could be weaponized against Democratic opponents.
—Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
But in an era that fears formality, Miss Manners thanks you for keeping alive the notion that informality can still be misplaced.
—Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 8 June 2026
Thus, Gallner fears that his days as Rehmeier’s go-to guy are coming to an end.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2026
The decision is sparking alarm among experts that US is taking eyes off the oceans at a dangerous time of record-breaking sea temperatures, an imminent super El Niño and fears a critical system of ocean currents could collapse, ushering in global chaos.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 3 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fears
worries
Verb
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Rebecca worries about her husband, whose work as a mechanic can be dangerous.—
Andrew Jones,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
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Greene worries that rising prices and the disappearance of mass-market paperbacks could create a future where fewer readers take chances on unfamiliar authors.—
Josh Rivera,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fears.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fears. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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