fearful

adjective

fear·​ful ˈfir-fəl How to pronounce fearful (audio)
Synonyms of fearfulnext
1
: causing or likely to cause fear, fright, or alarm especially because of dangerous quality
a fearful storm
2
a
: full of fear
fearful for their safety
b
: indicating or arising from fear
a fearful glance
c
: inclined to fear : timorous
3
: very great or bad
—used as an intensive
a fearful waste
fearful slum conditions
fearfully
ˈfir-f(ə-)lē How to pronounce fearful (audio)
adverb
fearfulness
ˈfir-fəl-nəs How to pronounce fearful (audio)
noun

Synonyms of fearful

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fearful, apprehensive, afraid mean disturbed by fear.

fearful implies often a timorous or worrying temperament.

the child is fearful of loud noises

apprehensive suggests a state of mind and implies a premonition of evil or danger.

apprehensive of being found out

afraid often suggests weakness or cowardice and regularly implies inhibition of action or utterance.

afraid to speak the truth

Examples of fearful in a Sentence

He plays the role of a timid and fearful clerk. They won the war but at a fearful cost.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
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 Katz said the rapid and steep rate movements give investors a chance to buy from the fearful and sell to the greedy. — Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fearful

Word History

Etymology

Middle English feerful, fereful "inspiring dread, frightened," from fer fear entry 1 + -ful -ful entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fearful was in the 14th century

Rhymes for fearful

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Browse Nearby Words

fear for one's/someone's life
fearful
fearfully
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fearful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fearful. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

fearful

adjective
fear·​ful ˈfi(ə)r-fəl How to pronounce fearful (audio)
1
: causing fear
the fearful roar of a lion
2
: filled with fear
fearful of danger
3
: showing or caused by fear
a fearful glance
4
: extremely bad, large, or intense
fearful cold
fearfully
-fə-lē How to pronounce fearful (audio)
adverb
fearfulness noun
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