Fearful

/ˈfɪr.fəl/

Meaning & Definition

adjective

Feeling afraid; anxious or apprehensive.

She was fearful of the dark and refused to go outside at night.

Causing or likely to cause fear.

The fearful prospect of losing her job kept her awake at night.

Full of fear; filled with apprehension.

He had a fearful look on his face as he approached the haunted house.

Timid; easily frightened.

The fearful puppy hid behind its owner during the thunderstorm.

Middle English, from Old English 'fǽr' meaning 'sudden event, danger', combined with '-ful' meaning 'full of'.

fearful of the unknown

Apprehensive about what lies ahead.

fearful for one's safety

Concerned about personal safety.

fearful hearts

Hearts full of fear.

fear

An emotion induced by a perceived threat.

dread

Anticipating with great apprehension.

anxiety

A feeling of worry or unease.

Freaked out

I was totally freaked out when I heard that noise.

Scaredy-cat

Don't be such a scaredy-cat; it's just a movie.