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afraid

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afraid

(əfreɪd)

1. adjective [verb-link ADJECTIVE, ADJECTIVE to-infinitive]

If you are afraid of someone or afraid to do something, you are frightened because you think that something very unpleasant is going to happen to you.

She did not seem at all afraid.

I was afraid of the other boys. [+ of]

I'm still afraid to sleep in my own bedroom. [+ to]

Synonyms: scared, frightened, nervous, anxious More Synonyms of afraid

2. adjective [verb-link ADJECTIVE]

If you are afraid for someone else, you are worried that something horrible is going to happen to them.

They were afraid for their own safety. [+ for]

3. adjective [verb-link ADJECTIVE, ADJECTIVE that, ADJECTIVE to-infinitive]

If you are afraid that something unpleasant will happen, you are worried that it may happen and you want to avoid it.

I was afraid that nobody would believe me.

The Government is afraid of losing the election. [+ of]

Synonyms: anxious, concerned, worried, troubled More Synonyms of afraid

See I'm afraid

More Synonyms of afraid

afraid in British English

(əˈfreɪd)

adjective (postpositive)

1. (often foll by of)

feeling fear or apprehension; frightened

he was afraid of cats

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

she was afraid to let herself go

3. (often foll by that; used to lessen the effect of an unpleasant statement)

regretful

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

Word origin

C14: affraied, past participle of affray (to frighten)

afraid in American English

(əˈfreɪd)

adjective

feeling fear; frightened; apprehensive

followed by of, that, or an infinitive: often used informally to indicate regret

I'm afraid I can't go

SYNONYMY NOTE: afraid is applied to a general feeling of fear or disquiet and is the broadest in applicationof all the words considered here [to be afraid of the dark, to be afraid to die]; frightened implies a sudden, usually temporary seizure of fear [ the child was frightened by the dog]; timid implies a lack of courage or self-confidence and suggests overcautiousness or shyness[too timid to ask for an explanation]; timorous, fearful suggest a feeling of disquiet and a tendency to worry rather than an alarming fear[fearful of making an error]; terrify verb transitive implies intense, overwhelming fear [he stood terrified as the tiger charged]

OPPOSITES: brave, bold

Word origin

ME affraied, pp. of affraien, affray

More idioms containing
afraid

afraid of your own shadow

Examples of 'afraid' in a sentence
afraid

Thousands more victims were too afraid to come forward.She is now too afraid to go to school on her own, a court heard.The atmosphere makes people very nervous, and afraid that they may miss something worth buying.She's not afraid of anything.Somebody might have given him a lift and is afraid to come forward thinking they have done something wrong, but they have not.Was I afraid of going over it again?That your boyfriend feels comfortable being vulnerable doesn't mean he is weak, simply that he is in touch with his feelings and not afraid to show them.The country is suffering because people and politicians are too afraid to say anything about it.What you probably mean is that you are afraid others may think you are lazy.We will not be afraid of anyone and will try to enjoy our football.

In other languages
afraid

British English: afraid /əˈfreɪd/ ADJECTIVE

If you are afraid of someone or afraidto do something, you are frightened because you think that something horrible is going to happen.

I was afraid of the other boys.

American English: afraid
Arabic: خائِف
Brazilian Portuguese: com medo
Chinese: 害怕
Croatian: uplašen
Czech: vystrašený
Danish: bange
Dutch: bang
European Spanish: temeroso
Finnish: peloissaan
French: effrayé
German: fürchten (sich)
Greek: φοβισμένος
Italian: timoroso
Japanese: ･･･が怖い
Korean: ...을 두려워하여
Norwegian: redd
Polish: przestraszony
European Portuguese: com medo
Romanian: speriat
Russian: испуганный
Latin American Spanish: temeroso
Swedish: rädd
Thai: กลัว
Turkish: korkmuş
Ukrainian: наляканий
Vietnamese: sợ

Chinese translation of 'afraid'

afraid

(əˈfreɪd)

adj

(= frightened) 害怕的 (hàipà de)
to be afraid of sb/sth 害怕某人/某物 (hàipà mǒurén/mǒuwù)
to be afraid to do sth/of doing sth 怕做某事 (pà zuò mǒushì)
to be afraid for sb 担(擔)心某人 (dānxīn mǒurén)
to be afraid that ... (= worry, fear) 担(擔)心 ... (dānxīn ... ) (expressing apology, disagreement) 恐怕 ... (kǒngpà ... )
don't be afraid to ... (expressing reassurance) 不要有顾(顧)虑(慮) ... (bùyào yǒu gùlǜ ... )
I'm afraid so/not 恐怕是/不是的 (kǒngpà shì/bùshì de)

All related terms of 'afraid'

1 (adjective) in the sense of scared

Definition

feeling fear or apprehension

She did not seem at all afraid.He's afraid to sleep in his own bedroom.

Synonyms

scared

Why are you so scared?

frightened

She was too frightened to tell them what happened.

nervous

anxious

terrified

She was terrified that he would attack her.

shaken

alarmed

They should not be too alarmed by the press reports.

startled

suspicious

intimidated

Women can come in here and not feel intimidated.

fearful

They were fearful that the fighting might spread.

cowardly

I was too cowardly to complain.

timid

A timid child, she had learnt obedience at an early age.

apprehensive

petrified

He was petrified at the thought of having to make a speech.

panicky

Many women feel panicky when travelling alone at night.

panic-stricken

Thousands of panic-stricken refugees fled the city.

timorous (literary)

He is a reclusive, timorous creature.

faint-hearted

The voters may be ready to punish the politicians who devised a faint-hearted solidarity pact.

scared shitless (taboo, slang)

shit-scared (taboo, slang)

Opposites

bold

indifferent

fearless

audacious

unafraid

inapprehensive

2 (adjective) in the sense of reluctant

He seems to live in an ivory tower, afraid to enter the real world.

Synonyms

reluctant

He was reluctant to ask for help.

slow

He was not slow to take up the offer.

frightened

scared

unwilling

Initially the government was unwilling to accept the defeat.

backward

hesitant

I was hesitant about accepting the invitation.

recalcitrant

loath

She is loath to give up her hard-earned liberty.

disinclined

He was disinclined to talk about himself.

unenthusiastic

indisposed

He seemed indisposed to chat.

3 (adjective) in the sense of anxious

Definition

feeling fear or apprehension

I was afraid that nobody would believe me.

Synonyms

anxious

She admitted she was still anxious about the situation.

concerned

I've been very concerned about the situation.

worried

I'm not worried about the future.

troubled

She sounded deeply troubled.

bothered

nervous

I get very nervous when I'm in the house alone at night.

disturbed

I was disturbed to find out that the dog was missing.

tense

He had been very tense, but he finally relaxed.

fearful

I had often been very fearful and isolated.

apprehensive

People are still terribly apprehensive about the future.

perturbed

He was not perturbed at the prospect of a police officer coming to call.

on edge

Ever since their arrival she had felt on edge.

overwrought

When I'm feeling overwrought, I try to take some time out to relax.

fretful

an extremely fretful four-month old baby

4 (adjective) in the sense of sorry

Definition

regretful

I'm afraid I can't help you.

Synonyms

sorry

What he must not do is sit around at home feeling sorry for himself.

apologetic

The staff were very apologetic about the mistake.

regretful

He gave a regretful smile.

sad

The loss left me feeling sad and empty.

distressed

unhappy

He has been unhappy with his son's political leanings.

Opposites

happy

pleased

Additional synonyms

in the sense of alarmed

They should not be too alarmed by the press reports.

Synonyms

frightened,

troubled,

shocked,

scared,

nervous,

disturbed,

anxious,

distressed,

terrified,

startled,

dismayed,

uneasy,

fearful,

daunted,

unnerved,

apprehensive,

in a panic

in the sense of apologetic

Definition

showing or expressing regret

The staff were very apologetic about the mistake.

Synonyms

regretful,

sorry,

rueful,

contrite,

remorseful,

penitent

in the sense of apprehensive

Definition

fearful or anxious about the future

People are still terribly apprehensive about the future.

Synonyms

anxious,

concerned,

worried,

afraid,

alarmed,

nervous,

suspicious,

doubtful,

uneasy,

fearful,

disquieted,

foreboding,

twitchy (informal),

mistrustful,

antsy (informal)

Synonyms of 'afraid'

afraid

Explore 'afraid' in the dictionary

单词	afraid
释义	Trends of afraid View usage for: afraid (əfreɪd) 1. adjective [verb-link ADJECTIVE, ADJECTIVE to-infinitive] If you are afraid of someone or afraid to do something, you are frightened because you think that something very unpleasant is going to happen to you. She did not seem at all afraid. I was afraid of the other boys. [+ of] I'm still afraid to sleep in my own bedroom. [+ to] Synonyms: scared, frightened, nervous, anxious More Synonyms of afraid 2. adjective [verb-link ADJECTIVE] If you are afraid for someone else, you are worried that something horrible is going to happen to them. They were afraid for their own safety. [+ for] 3. adjective [verb-link ADJECTIVE, ADJECTIVE that, ADJECTIVE to-infinitive] If you are afraid that something unpleasant will happen, you are worried that it may happen and you want to avoid it. I was afraid that nobody would believe me. The Government is afraid of losing the election. [+ of] Synonyms: anxious, concerned, worried, troubled More Synonyms of afraid 4. See I'm afraid More Synonyms of afraid afraid in British English (əˈfreɪd) adjective (postpositive) 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 she was afraid to let herself go 3. (often foll by that; used to lessen the effect of an unpleasant statement) regretful I'm afraid that I shall have to tell you to go Word origin C14: affraied, past participle of affray (to frighten) afraid in American English (əˈfreɪd) adjective feeling fear; frightened; apprehensive followed by of, that, or an infinitive: often used informally to indicate regret I'm afraid I can't go SYNONYMY NOTE: afraid is applied to a general feeling of fear or disquiet and is the broadest in applicationof all the words considered here [to be afraid of the dark, to be afraid to die]; frightened implies a sudden, usually temporary seizure of fear [ the child was frightened by the dog]; timid implies a lack of courage or self-confidence and suggests overcautiousness or shyness[too timid to ask for an explanation]; timorous, fearful suggest a feeling of disquiet and a tendency to worry rather than an alarming fear[fearful of making an error]; terrify verb transitive implies intense, overwhelming fear [he stood terrified as the tiger charged] OPPOSITES: brave, bold Word origin ME affraied, pp. of affraien, affray More idioms containing afraid afraid of your own shadow Examples of 'afraid' in a sentence afraid Thousands more victims were too afraid to come forward. The Sun (2016) She is now too afraid to go to school on her own, a court heard. The Sun (2017) The atmosphere makes people very nervous, and afraid that they may miss something worth buying. Times, Sunday Times (2016) She's not afraid of anything. The Sun (2016) Somebody might have given him a lift and is afraid to come forward thinking they have done something wrong, but they have not. The Sun (2016) Was I afraid of going over it again? Times, Sunday Times (2016) That your boyfriend feels comfortable being vulnerable doesn't mean he is weak, simply that he is in touch with his feelings and not afraid to show them. Times, Sunday Times (2016) The country is suffering because people and politicians are too afraid to say anything about it. The Sun (2014) What you probably mean is that you are afraid others may think you are lazy. Vera Peiffer POSITIVE THINKING: Everything you have always known about positive thinking but wereafraid to put into practice (2001) We will not be afraid of anyone and will try to enjoy our football. The Sun (2016) Since then my boyfriend is afraid there is something wrong with him. The Sun (2010) You would have been afraid to go out at night. Times, Sunday Times (2014) We seem to be afraid to punish them. The Sun (2010) Most locals had fled or were still too afraid to come out. Times, Sunday Times (2012) Nobody is afraid of him any more. The Sun (2009) My free leaflet for anyone afraid of the dentist explains more. The Sun (2006) It is not something to be afraid of. Times, Sunday Times (2008) They all seem to be afraid and apprehensive. Times, Sunday Times (2012) He was not much afraid of anything that she might feel now. George Eliot Middlemarch (1872) We are afraid she may have come to harm. Times, Sunday Times (2013) Being afraid of something means thinking in a negative way about it. Vera Peiffer POSITIVE THINKING: Everything you have always known about positive thinking but wereafraid to put into practice (2001) She is afraid to go back to school and thinks they will not want her back. The Sun (2014) We are not afraid of anyone. Times, Sunday Times (2013) In fact, nobody should be afraid of them. The Sun (2012) I learned many of us in the program were afraid of strong feelings. Christianity Today (2000) Are we afraid of feelings? Times, Sunday Times (2010) It was great to share this funny moment with him in his last few hours, at a time when he was worried and afraid. The Sun (2015) In other languages afraid British English: afraid /əˈfreɪd/ ADJECTIVE If you are afraid of someone or afraidto do something, you are frightened because you think that something horrible is going to happen. I was afraid of the other boys. American English: afraid Arabic: خائِف Brazilian Portuguese: com medo Chinese: 害怕 Croatian: uplašen Czech: vystrašený Danish: bange Dutch: bang European Spanish: temeroso Finnish: peloissaan French: effrayé German: fürchten (sich) Greek: φοβισμένος Italian: timoroso Japanese: ･･･が怖い Korean: ...을 두려워하여 Norwegian: redd Polish: przestraszony European Portuguese: com medo Romanian: speriat Russian: испуганный Latin American Spanish: temeroso Swedish: rädd Thai: กลัว Turkish: korkmuş Ukrainian: наляканий Vietnamese: sợ Chinese translation of 'afraid' afraid (əˈfreɪd) adj (= frightened) 害怕的 (hàipà de) to be afraid of sb/sth 害怕某人/某物 (hàipà mǒurén/mǒuwù) to be afraid to do sth/of doing sth 怕做某事 (pà zuò mǒushì) to be afraid for sb 担(擔)心某人 (dānxīn mǒurén) to be afraid that ... (= worry, fear) 担(擔)心 ... (dānxīn ... ) (expressing apology, disagreement) 恐怕 ... (kǒngpà ... ) don't be afraid to ... (expressing reassurance) 不要有顾(顧)虑(慮) ... (bùyào yǒu gùlǜ ... ) I'm afraid so/not 恐怕是/不是的 (kǒngpà shì/bùshì de) All related terms of 'afraid' I'm afraid so/not 恐怕是/不是的 kǒngpà shì/bùshì de don't be afraid to ... ( expressing reassurance ) 不要有顾(顧)虑(慮) ... bùyào yǒu gùlǜ ... to be afraid for sb 担(擔)心某人 dānxīn mǒurén to be afraid that ... ( worry, fear ) 担(擔)心 ... dānxīn ... to be afraid of sb/sth 害怕某人/某物 hàipà mǒurén/mǒuwù I'm afraid that's not an option 我恐怕那样(樣)行不通 wǒ kǒngpà nàyàng xíng bù tōng to be afraid to do sth/of doing sth 怕做某事 pà zuò mǒushì 1 (adjective) in the sense of scared Definition feeling fear or apprehension She did not seem at all afraid.He's afraid to sleep in his own bedroom. Synonyms scared Why are you so scared? frightened She was too frightened to tell them what happened. nervous anxious terrified She was terrified that he would attack her. shaken alarmed They should not be too alarmed by the press reports. startled suspicious intimidated Women can come in here and not feel intimidated. fearful They were fearful that the fighting might spread. cowardly I was too cowardly to complain. timid A timid child, she had learnt obedience at an early age. apprehensive petrified He was petrified at the thought of having to make a speech. panicky Many women feel panicky when travelling alone at night. panic-stricken Thousands of panic-stricken refugees fled the city. timorous (literary) He is a reclusive, timorous creature. faint-hearted The voters may be ready to punish the politicians who devised a faint-hearted solidarity pact. scared shitless (taboo, slang) shit-scared (taboo, slang) Opposites bold , indifferent , fearless , audacious , unafraid , inapprehensive 2 (adjective) in the sense of reluctant He seems to live in an ivory tower, afraid to enter the real world. Synonyms reluctant He was reluctant to ask for help. slow He was not slow to take up the offer. frightened scared unwilling Initially the government was unwilling to accept the defeat. backward hesitant I was hesitant about accepting the invitation. recalcitrant loath She is loath to give up her hard-earned liberty. disinclined He was disinclined to talk about himself. unenthusiastic indisposed He seemed indisposed to chat. 3 (adjective) in the sense of anxious Definition feeling fear or apprehension I was afraid that nobody would believe me. Synonyms anxious She admitted she was still anxious about the situation. concerned I've been very concerned about the situation. worried I'm not worried about the future. troubled She sounded deeply troubled. bothered nervous I get very nervous when I'm in the house alone at night. disturbed I was disturbed to find out that the dog was missing. tense He had been very tense, but he finally relaxed. fearful I had often been very fearful and isolated. apprehensive People are still terribly apprehensive about the future. perturbed He was not perturbed at the prospect of a police officer coming to call. on edge Ever since their arrival she had felt on edge. overwrought When I'm feeling overwrought, I try to take some time out to relax. fretful an extremely fretful four-month old baby 4 (adjective) in the sense of sorry Definition regretful I'm afraid I can't help you. Synonyms sorry What he must not do is sit around at home feeling sorry for himself. apologetic The staff were very apologetic about the mistake. regretful He gave a regretful smile. sad The loss left me feeling sad and empty. distressed unhappy He has been unhappy with his son's political leanings. Opposites happy , pleased Additional synonyms in the sense of alarmed They should not be too alarmed by the press reports. Synonyms frightened, troubled, shocked, scared, nervous, disturbed, anxious, distressed, terrified, startled, dismayed, uneasy, fearful, daunted, unnerved, apprehensive, in a panic in the sense of apologetic Definition showing or expressing regret The staff were very apologetic about the mistake. Synonyms regretful, sorry, rueful, contrite, remorseful, penitent in the sense of apprehensive Definition fearful or anxious about the future People are still terribly apprehensive about the future. Synonyms anxious, concerned, worried, afraid, alarmed, nervous, suspicious, doubtful, uneasy, fearful, disquieted, foreboding, twitchy (informal), mistrustful, antsy (informal) Synonyms of 'afraid' afraid Explore 'afraid' in the dictionary
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Trends ofafraid

afraid

afraid in British English

afraid in American English

More idioms containingafraid

Examples of 'afraid' in a sentenceafraid

In other languagesafraid

Chinese translation of 'afraid'

afraid

adj

All related terms of 'afraid'

Additional synonyms

Synonyms of 'afraid'

afraid

Trends of
afraid

More idioms containing
afraid

Examples of 'afraid' in a sentence
afraid

In other languages
afraid