fear
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
How often you will meet it
Rank 382 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 51,899 times across 155,139 chapters — 0.025% of every word in the library.
It belongs to the first 500 words, the band worth learning before any other.
What it means
verb
- be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event I fear she might get aggressive
- be afraid or scared of; be frightened of also: dread I fear the winters in MoscowWe should not fear the Communists!
- be sorry; used to introduce an unpleasant statement I fear I won't make it to your wedding party
- be uneasy or apprehensive about I fear the results of the final exams
- regard with feelings of respect and reverence; consider hallowed or exalted or be in awe of also: reverence, revere, venerate Fear God as your fatherWe venerate genius
noun
- an emotion experienced in anticipation of some specific pain or danger (usually accompanied by a desire to flee or fight) also: fearfulness, fright
- an anxious feeling also: concern, care care had aged himthey hushed it up out of fear of public reaction
- a feeling of profound respect for someone or something also: reverence, awe, veneration the fear of Godthe Chinese reverence for the dead
fear in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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I have no fear of anything of the sort.
The Betrayal · E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim · Chapter 1
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Poor Xury, almost dead with fear, entreated me not to go on shore that night.
The Life and Most Surprising Adventures · Daniel Defoe · Chapter 1
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The night is chill and cold, I much do fear The little sheep will shiver by the mere.
The White Christmas and other Merry · Walter Ben Hare · Chapter 1
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With no longer the fear of "Negro Domination" before their eyes, the white man's second excuse became valueless.
The Red Record Tabulated Statistics · Ida B. Wells-Barnett · Chapter 1
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And little Mavis knew now that it was not fear that made the stranger girl scream--and she, too, was puzzled.
The Heart of the Hills · John, Jr. Fox · Chapter 1