Fearful Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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fearful

[ˈfɪərfəl ]

Definition

Context #1 | Adjective

feeling scared or anxious about something

Feeling fear or anxiety; frightened or worried. It is a natural human emotion that arises in response to a perceived threat or danger. People may feel fearful when facing the unknown or when anticipating a negative outcome.

Synonyms

afraid, anxious, scared, worried.

Examples of usage

  • I am fearful of spiders.
  • She was fearful of failing the exam.
  • The loud noise made the child feel fearful.
  • I could sense her fearful expression.
  • He looked fearful when he saw the dark figure.

Translations

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Origin of 'fearful'

The word 'fearful' dates back to the 12th century and is derived from the Middle English 'fereful', which means 'full of fear'. The root of the word can be traced back to the Old English 'fǣr', meaning 'danger' or 'peril'. Over the centuries, 'fearful' has evolved to encompass a range of emotions related to fear and anxiety.


See also: fear, feared, fearfully, fearfulness, fearless, fearlessly, fearlessness.

Word Frequency Rank

At #6,857 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.