fear
What danger triggers
Fear is the feeling of dread or alarm in response to danger or threat.
You might fear heights, fear failure, or fear for someone's safety.
Fear can be warranted or irrational—reasonable caution or crippling phobia.
As a verb, to fear is to be afraid of something: I fear the worst.
To fear God is to hold reverent awe.
No fear dismisses a concern as unlikely.
Extreme, overwhelming fear
- dreadIntense anticipatory fear
- horrorExtreme fear or disgust
- panicUncontrollable sudden fear
- frightSudden intense fear
alarm · trepidation · apprehension · unease · disquiet · consternation · anxiety · worry
Spreading exaggerated threats
- propagandaBiased information for influence
- demagogueryManipulative political rhetoric
- intimidationDeliberate fear-inducing pressure
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
paranoia · hysteria · panic-inducing · alarmism · boogeyman · scapegoating · witch-hunt · disinformation
Acute threat reaction
- survivalRemaining alive against odds
- startleFrighten suddenly
- adrenalineEmergency response hormone
- reflexInvoluntary stimulus response
alertness · vigilance · wariness · hypervigilance · prey · predator · escape · avoidance
Indication of potential harm
- perilSerious threat of harm
- hazardSource of potential harm
- riskPossibility of harm
- menaceSource of potential harm
jeopardy · crisis · emergency · pitfall · precipice · vulnerability · exposure · uncertainty
Morbid dread of spiders
- claustrophobiaDread of enclosed areas
- agoraphobiaFear of public spaces
- acrophobiaDread of elevated positions
- xenophobiaHatred of outsiders
hydrophobia · nyctophobia · trypophobia · hemophobia · aerophobia · thanatophobia · glossophobia · coulrophobia
terror
Extreme, overwhelming fear
fright · alarm · trepidation · apprehension · unease · disquiet · consternation · anxiety · worry · anguish
scaremongering
Spreading exaggerated threats
- propagandaBiased information for influence
- demagogueryManipulative political rhetoric
- intimidationDeliberate fear-inducing pressure
coercion · paranoia · hysteria · panic-inducing · alarmism · boogeyman · scapegoating · witch-hunt · disinformation
fight-or-flight
Acute threat reaction
- survivalRemaining alive against odds
- startleFrighten suddenly
- adrenalineEmergency response hormone
reflex · alertness · vigilance · wariness · hypervigilance · prey · predator · escape · avoidance · cortisol
threat
Indication of potential harm
menace · jeopardy · crisis · emergency · pitfall · precipice · vulnerability · exposure · uncertainty · volatility
arachnophobia
Morbid dread of spiders
- claustrophobiaDread of enclosed areas
- agoraphobiaFear of public spaces
- acrophobiaDread of elevated positions
xenophobia · hydrophobia · nyctophobia · trypophobia · hemophobia · aerophobia · thanatophobia · glossophobia · coulrophobia · trypanophobia
shield
Handheld defensive armor
sanctuary · haven · shelter · security · safeguard · defense · precaution · vigilance · caution · reassurance
fearcourage
Fortitude facing danger
bravery · fearlessness · boldness · valor · intrepidity
fearconfidence
Self-assurance or trust
trust · assurance · self-assurance · self-confidence · faith
- fear of heightsAnxiety about elevation
- without fearAbsent of dread
- fear of the unknownDread of unfamiliar things
- nothing to fearAbsence of peril
- face your fearsDeliberately approach what terrifies
- fear of the dark
fearful, fearless, feared, fearsome, fears, fearfully, fearing, fearlessness, fearfulness