as in fear
the emotion experienced in the presence or threat of danger
shaking with trepidation, I stepped into the old abandoned house
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of trepidation
This trepidation only grew as the Pacmania craze took hold in the early 1980s.
—
Time, 8 Oct. 2025
Cameron puts on his military uniform every day filled with trepidation, good intentions and the innocence of young adulthood, plus a spirit that won't be squashed by the angriest drill instructor.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 8 Oct. 2025
Throughout the years, Alex brought Kiba to different veterinarians, and each time she would be met with some trepidation.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
In 1962, National Geographic sent a Dutch photographer named Hugo van Lawick to capture her work, and after some initial trepidation, the two became close and later married.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trepidation
Time, 8 Oct. 2025
Cameron puts on his military uniform every day filled with trepidation, good intentions and the innocence of young adulthood, plus a spirit that won't be squashed by the angriest drill instructor.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 8 Oct. 2025
Throughout the years, Alex brought Kiba to different veterinarians, and each time she would be met with some trepidation.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
In 1962, National Geographic sent a Dutch photographer named Hugo van Lawick to capture her work, and after some initial trepidation, the two became close and later married.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trepidation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trepidation
Noun
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The result came after Milei’s party suffered a landslide defeat to the Peronist opposition in a September local vote in the Buenos Aires province, an outcome that sparked a selloff of the peso amid investor fears over the president’s standing with voters.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
27 Oct. 2025
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Harrison expressed deep fears that the White House could take an ax to CPB and public media more broadly.—
David Folkenflik,
NPR,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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That driving tension and anxiety are largely thanks to the team of artisans, which included composer Volker Bertelmann, editor Kirk Baxter and sound designer Paul Ottosson, who worked closely behind the scenes on their respective crafts to bring it together.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
25 Oct. 2025
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That sense of anxiety is present throughout the book, most vividly in a wide shot of a group of cheerleaders rehearsing in a gym.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Despite its speculative premise, the series captures the loneliness that has pervaded society since the COVID pandemic and the dread of a future in which artificial intelligence might render human interaction obsolete.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
27 Oct. 2025
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The resulting amalgam of curious thoughts, heartfelt angst, expressions of longing or dread, make for a raw, touching saga shared by dozens of people, all seemingly looking for meaning.—
Will Tizard,
Variety,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Trepidation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trepidation. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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