afraid

American  

[uh-freyd] / əˈfreɪd /

adjective

1. feeling fear; filled with apprehension.

   afraid to go.

   Synonyms:

   timorous, timid, apprehensive, fearful, scared

   Antonyms:

   fearless, confident, bold

2. feeling regret, unhappiness, or the like.

   I'm afraid we can't go on Monday.

3. feeling reluctance, unwillingness, distaste, or the like.

   He seemed afraid to show his own children a little kindness.

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afraid British  

/ əˈfreɪd /

adjective

1. (often foll by of) feeling fear or apprehension; frightened

   he was afraid of cats

2. reluctant (to do something), as through fear or timidity

   he was afraid to let himself go

3. regretful

   I'm afraid that I shall have to tell you to go

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Related Words

Afraid, alarmed, frightened, terrified all indicate a state of fear. Afraid implies inner apprehensive disquiet: afraid of the dark. Alarmed implies that the feelings are aroused through realization of some imminent or unexpected danger to oneself or others: alarmed by (or about ) someone's illness. Frightened means shocked with sudden, but usually short-lived, fear, especially that arising from apprehension of physical harm: frightened by an accident. Terrified suggests the emotional reaction when one is struck with a violent, overwhelming fear: terrified by an earthquake.

Other Word Forms

• half-afraid adjective
• unafraid adjective

Etymology

Origin of afraid

Variant spelling of affrayed, past participle of affray to disturb, frighten

Explanation

To be afraid is to be scared. People are afraid of snakes, bugs, heights, bears, death, and public speaking, among other things. Being afraid means you have a fear of something — and people are afraid of all sorts of things, from guns to ghosts to being in arguments. People also say, "I'm afraid I have some bad news," which doesn't mean they're afraid of the news, but sorry that they have to share it. It's a similar situation for the saying "I'm afraid so," which is a nice way of saying "I'm sorry, but the answer is yes."

Example Sentences

“I’m not afraid of the Trump administration or of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel, which is what the church works for,” Leo XIV said.

From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026

And for a coach known for pressing intensity and purist passing style at pace, De Zerbi's new team were not afraid to go long in search of results.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

“If you’re overusing AI, that means you’re not doing anything unique as a human in that process, which means you’re going to be even more afraid of AI taking your job,” he said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 11, 2026

She told the Chronicle she did not share her account with authorities because she was afraid they would not believe her.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

The captain didn’t care about Nim and Jack; but he was afraid of sea lions and dragons and boat-ripping reefs.

From "Nim’s Island" by Wendy Orr

Related Words

• anxious
• apprehensive
• frightened
• nervous
• scared
• shocked
• suspicious
• timid