fearful
Americanadjective
-
causing or apt to cause fear; frightening.
a fearful apparition.
-
feeling fear, dread, apprehension, or solicitude.
fearful for his life.
- Synonyms:
- worried, concerned, anxious, solicitous, distrustful, uneasy, apprehensive, timorous, timid, afraid
-
full of awe or reverence.
fearful of the Lord.
-
showing or caused by fear.
fearful behavior exhibited by dogs in the animal shelter.
-
extreme in size, intensity, or badness: fearful poverty.
a fearful head cold;
fearful poverty.
adjective
-
having fear; afraid
-
causing fear; frightening
-
informal very unpleasant or annoying
a fearful cold
Other Word Forms
- fearfully adverb
- fearfulness noun
- unfearful adjective
Etymology
Origin of fearful
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English ferful(l); fear, -ful
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Be greedy when others are fearful” is one half of one of Warren Buffett’s most well-known investing maxims.
From Barron's
"We are fearful for our children crossing the road," Wiley said.
From BBC
For those who are allergic or may be fearful, Huw said the brand has always been as inclusive as possible.
From BBC
But as famed investor Warren Buffett has said, the time to be greedy is when others are fearful.
From MarketWatch
Meanwhile, both the United Arab Emirates and Qatar were being targeted by retaliatory drone and missile strikes from Iran, creating a tense and fearful environment for those who were trapped in airports and hotels.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
