Synonym Chooser

How is the word trepidation distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of trepidation are alarm, dread, fear, fright, panic, and terror. While all these words mean "painful agitation in the presence or anticipation of danger," trepidation adds to dread the implications of timidity, trembling, and hesitation.

raised the subject with trepidation

When would alarm be a good substitute for trepidation?

While the synonyms alarm and trepidation are close in meaning, alarm suggests a sudden and intense awareness of immediate danger.

view the situation with alarm

Where would dread be a reasonable alternative to trepidation?

The words dread and trepidation can be used in similar contexts, but dread usually adds the idea of intense reluctance to face or meet a person or situation and suggests aversion as well as anxiety.

faced the meeting with dread

When might fear be a better fit than trepidation?

The meanings of fear and trepidation largely overlap; however, fear is the most general term and implies anxiety and usually loss of courage.

fear of the unknown

When could fright be used to replace trepidation?

Although the words fright and trepidation have much in common, fright implies the shock of sudden, startling fear.

fright at being awakened suddenly

When is panic a more appropriate choice than trepidation?

The synonyms panic and trepidation are sometimes interchangeable, but panic implies unreasoning and overmastering fear causing hysterical activity.

the news caused widespread panic

When is it sensible to use terror instead of trepidation?

The words terror and trepidation are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, terror implies the most extreme degree of fear.

immobilized with terror

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 trepidation Jaron braced himself, his face bunched in trepidation, waiting for her outburst. Annie Proulx, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025 Chao even addressed her initial trepidation to take the role in The Hollywood Reporter's oral history of the film. Randall Colburn, EW.com, 9 Aug. 2025 Investors showed no signs of trepidation about Meta and Alphabet's massive AI spend because those companies' overall sales continued to rise. Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 8 Aug. 2025 But the fact that Elio underwent such extensive tweaks does suggest internal trepidation—and that Pixar could be shying away from more novel, personal works in favor of safer material. David Sims, The Atlantic, 15 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for trepidation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trepidation
Noun
  • Shifting toward the ideals of a 2.0 World, Crone hopes that the human default state of limitation, fear, and suffering will become oriented toward freedom, love, and boundless possibility.
    Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025
  • Washington said the federal takeover in Washington has sparked fear, particularly among people who plan to visit the District next month for the Congressional Black Caucus’ annual conference.
    Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The civil complaint compares TikTok to slot machines and alleges that the app may lead to anxiety and depression, developmental damage and financial exploitation among children.
    Greta Cross, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025
  • But there are other factors, including rising consumer anxiety and consumer debt, that remain headwinds to the market heading into the fall, Sturtevant said.
    Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Andrea Pirlo went to work in the Dubai second division after the Italian Football Federation settled on Gennaro Gattuso as the underwhelming answer to a qualifying campaign now overwhelmed by a sense of dread.
    James Horncastle, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
  • Western instruments add an extra degree of dread on the score, to suggest the encroachment of the U.S. forces — Rota brings out the ominousness of an oboe like no film composer ever.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Trepidation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trepidation. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.

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