afraid
Gripped by terror
Afraid describes the state of feeling fear or apprehension.
You can be afraid of something specific (afraid of heights, afraid of the dark) or afraid that something will happen (I'm afraid we'll miss the flight).
In polite speech, I'm afraid softens unwelcome news: I'm afraid the doctor can't see you today.
Unlike scared, afraid rarely appears before a noun—you wouldn't say "an afraid child."
Extremely frightened
- petrifiedSolidified or fear-paralyzed
- paralyzedUnable to move voluntarily
- phobiaPersistent irrational dread
- arachnophobiaMorbid dread of spiders
claustrophobia · acrophobia · agoraphobia · hydrophobia · panic-stricken · horror-struck · irrational · obsessive
Extreme, overwhelming fear
- panicUncontrollable sudden fear
- horrorExtreme fear or disgust
- dreadIntense anticipatory fear
- alarmUrgent warning signal
trepidation · apprehension · anxiety · nervousness · unease · distress · anguish · foreboding
Guardedly alert
circumspect · chary · careful · vigilant · watchful · apprehensive · distrustful · suspicious
Expressed intent to harm
- menacedThreatened with harm
- bulliedRepeatedly mistreated by aggressors
- coercedPressured into compliance
- dauntedIntimidated into hesitation
cowed · overawed · dominated · pressured · browbeaten · unnerved · rattled · shaken
Reserved and retiring
- meekHumbly unassertive
- timorousShowing nervous apprehension
- faintheartedCowardly, easily discouraged
- cowardlyWithout bravery or nerve
spineless · mousy · sheepish · diffident · unassertive · craven · pusillanimous · lily-livered
terrified
Extremely frightened
- petrifiedSolidified or fear-paralyzed
- paralyzedUnable to move voluntarily
- phobiaPersistent irrational dread
arachnophobia · claustrophobia · acrophobia · agoraphobia · hydrophobia · panic-stricken · horror-struck · irrational · obsessive · avoidant
terror
Extreme, overwhelming fear
alarm · trepidation · apprehension · anxiety · nervousness · unease · distress · anguish · foreboding · dismay
wary
Guardedly alert
leery · circumspect · chary · careful · vigilant · watchful · apprehensive · distrustful · suspicious · skeptical
threatened
Expressed intent to harm
- menacedThreatened with harm
- bulliedRepeatedly mistreated by aggressors
- coercedPressured into compliance
daunted · cowed · overawed · dominated · pressured · browbeaten · unnerved · rattled · shaken · demoralized
shy
Reserved and retiring
- meekHumbly unassertive
- timorousShowing nervous apprehension
- faintheartedCowardly, easily discouraged
cowardly · spineless · mousy · sheepish · diffident · unassertive · craven · pusillanimous · lily-livered · chicken-hearted
- feardread, frightened, panic, terror, phobia
- scary feelingsterrified, frightening, dreadful, creepiness, goosebumps
- vulnerabilityvulnerability, vulnerable, defenselessness, defenseless, helplessness
afraidfearless
Lacking any apprehension
unafraid · brave · courageous · bold · intrepid
- i'm afraid
- afraid notApologetic negative response
- afraid of one's shadow
- afraid of one's own shadowExtremely easily frightened
- Naked and AfraidSurvival show, no clothing