fearful
adjective
fear·ful ˈfir-fəl 
1
: causing or likely to cause fear, fright, or alarm especially because of dangerous quality
a fearful storm
2
a
: full of fear
fearful for his safety
b
: indicating or arising from fear
a fearful glance
c
: inclined to fear : timorous
3
: very great or bad —used as an intensive
a fearful wastefearful slum conditions
fearfully
ˈfir-f(ə-)lē
adverb fearfulness
ˈfir-fəl-nəs
noun 
Synonyms
- alarming
- dire
- direful
- dread
- dreadful
- fearsome
- forbidding
- formidable
- frightening
- frightful
- ghastly
- hair-raising
- horrendous
- horrible
- horrifying
- intimidating
- redoubtable
- scary
- shocking
- spine-chilling
- terrible
- terrifying
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
He plays the role of a timid and fearful clerk. They won the war but at a fearful cost.
Recent Examples on the Web Many Asian Americans have become increasingly fearful about being targeted amid a rise in anti-Asian hate attacks during the pandemic. 
Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2022 Many librarians, rightly so, are incredibly fearful for their personal safety, for their family’s safety, for their job security. Sarah Matusek, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Aug. 2022 Instead, businesses are growing fearful about the enduring damage from zero-Covid lockdowns, the real-estate implosion, and Mr. Xi’s hostility to successful private enterprise such as tech companies that is showing up in regulatory crackdowns. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 15 Aug. 2022 In the Boston area, some drag performers say they’ve been harassed, leaving them fearful for their safety. Anjali Huynh, BostonGlobe.com, 17 July 2022 Households are fearful about the future, and consumer confidence is plummeting. New York Times, 22 June 2022 The onus is on everyone, not just those experiencing menopause, to understand the natural process and support people going through it who may be fearful about its implications on their day-to-day life, Dweck says. Alexa Mikhail, Fortune, 15 June 2022 Those who made up a small but dogged band of reporters determined to uncover and tell the truth in Russia are now scattered across Europe, uncertain of their futures and fearful for their country’s. NBC News, 16 Mar. 2022 The court's staff attorney, who was threatened, became fearful for her life after seeing the video, Mehling wrote in the order. Rachel Berry, The Enquirer, 24 Feb. 2022 See More
Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2022 Many librarians, rightly so, are incredibly fearful for their personal safety, for their family’s safety, for their job security. Sarah Matusek, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Aug. 2022 Instead, businesses are growing fearful about the enduring damage from zero-Covid lockdowns, the real-estate implosion, and Mr. Xi’s hostility to successful private enterprise such as tech companies that is showing up in regulatory crackdowns. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 15 Aug. 2022 In the Boston area, some drag performers say they’ve been harassed, leaving them fearful for their safety. Anjali Huynh, BostonGlobe.com, 17 July 2022 Households are fearful about the future, and consumer confidence is plummeting. New York Times, 22 June 2022 The onus is on everyone, not just those experiencing menopause, to understand the natural process and support people going through it who may be fearful about its implications on their day-to-day life, Dweck says. Alexa Mikhail, Fortune, 15 June 2022 Those who made up a small but dogged band of reporters determined to uncover and tell the truth in Russia are now scattered across Europe, uncertain of their futures and fearful for their country’s. NBC News, 16 Mar. 2022 The court's staff attorney, who was threatened, became fearful for her life after seeing the video, Mehling wrote in the order. Rachel Berry, The Enquirer, 24 Feb. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English feerful, fereful "inspiring dread, frightened," from fer fear entry 1 + -ful -ful entry 1
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
fearful
adjective
fear·ful ˈfir-fəl
1
: causing fear
the fearful roar of a lion
2
: filled with fear
I was fearful of failing the test.
3
: showing or caused by fear
a fearful expression
fearful
adjective
1
as in terrifying
causing fear the fearful roar of a lion Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- terrifying
- frightening
- scary
- intimidating
- formidable
- horrible
- terrible
- dread
- alarming
- horrifying
- shocking
- dreadful
- fearsome
- forbidding
- frightful
- creepy
- eerie
- startling
- threatening
- ghastly
- troubling
- trying
- dire
- direful
- discouraging
- disturbing
- unnerving
- gruesome
- horrendous
- redoubtable
- eery
- spine-chilling
- daunting
- hair-raising
- disconcerting
- disquieting
- demoralizing
- perturbing
- dismaying
- distressing
- weird
- hideous
- nightmarish
- horrid
- appalling
- awful
- monstrous
- grisly
- macabre
- bone-chilling
- atrocious
- grewsome
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- reassuring
- comforting
- calming
- inviting
- soothing
- relaxing
- quieting
- consoling
- tranquilizing
- nonthreatening
- tranquillizing
- lulling
- pacifying
- nonintimidating
2
as in timid
easily frightened the stray cat that we took in is still fearful, even around us Synonyms & Similar Words
- timid
- scary
- scared
- afraid
- terrified
- shy
- timorous
- tremulous
- anxious
- fainthearted
- panicked
- fearsome
- apprehensive
- skittish
- startled
- yellow
- mousy
- alarmed
- nervous
- craven
- cowardly
- mousey
- pusillanimous
- horrified
- panicky
- spooked
- gutless
- shocked
- jittery
- unheroic
- dastardly
- jumpy
- poltroon
- chicken
- unnerved
- terrorized
- spineless
- spooky
- chickenhearted
- panic-stricken
- lily-livered
- milk-livered
- chicken-livered
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- daring
- adventurous
- brave
- bold
- courageous
- confident
- audacious
- hardy
- venturesome
- fearless
- venturous
- adventuresome
- heroic
- gutsy
- undaunted
- valiant
- dauntless
- intrepid
- dashing
- gallant
- valorous
- stouthearted
- heroical
- stout
- assured
- stalwart
- resolute
- determined
- unflinching
- undeterred
- greathearted
- firm
- lionhearted
- spirited
- doughty
- self-assured
- plucky
- unswerving
- self-confident
- game
- spunky
- mettlesome
3
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect the fearful wind and cold simply made being outside a miserable experience Synonyms & Similar Words
- intense
- fierce
- intensive
- ferocious
- terrible
- furious
- violent
- deep
- heavy
- vicious
- dreadful
- fearsome
- profound
- acute
- frightful
- ghastly
- vehement
- explosive
- keen
- excruciating
- heightened
- almighty
- exquisite
- intensified
- hard
- aggravated
- harsh
- stressed
- blistering
- hellacious
- severe
- concentrated
- emphasized
- accentuated
- magnified
- enhanced
- deepened
- heavy-duty
- thorough
- exhaustive
- rigorous
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- weak
- light
- feeble
- moderate
- soft
- superficial
- shallow
- qualified
- subdued
- eased
- decreased
- diminished
- toned (down)
- reduced
- moderated
- lightened
- lessened
- alleviated
- abated
4
as in afraid
filled with fear or dread fearful of venturing out onto the dark highway, the stranded motorist decided to wait in the car for help Synonyms & Similar Words
- afraid
- frightened
- scared
- terrified
- horrified
- alarmed
- worried
- shocked
- upset
- aghast
- spooked
- terrorized
- nervous
- affrighted
- anxious
- scary
- apprehensive
- startled
- panicked
- timid
- hysteric
- hysterical
- appalled
- disturbed
- horror-struck
- panicky
- timorous
- agitated
- wary
- disquieted
- perturbed
- phobic
- uneasy
- intimidated
- shrinking
- fainthearted
- tremulous
- disconcerted
- panic-stricken
- cautious
- jittery
- fearsome
- shy
- dismayed
- jumpy
- daunted
- cowed
- unnerved
- craven
- coward
- cowardly
- skittish
- chicken
- careful
- pusillanimous
- funky
- gutless
- heedful
- tremulant
- prudent
- unadventurous
- lily-livered
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unafraid
- fearless
- daring
- adventurous
- brave
- bold
- spirited
- courageous
- audacious
- venturesome
- confident
- adventuresome
- heroic
- gutsy
- valiant
- daredevil
- sure
- plucky
- intrepid
- spunky
- hardy
- dashing
- sanguine
- gallant
- venturous
- valorous
- unperturbed
- stalwart
- stout
- assured
- composed
- collected
- cool
- resolute
- undaunted
- dauntless
- heroical
- stouthearted
- manful
- lionhearted
Synonym Chooser
The words afraid and apprehensive are common synonyms of fearful. While all three words mean "disturbed by fear," fearful implies often a timorous or worrying temperament.
the child is fearful of loud noises
While the synonyms afraid and fearful are close in meaning, afraid often suggests weakness or cowardice and regularly implies inhibition of action or utterance.
afraid to speak the truth
The synonyms apprehensive and fearful are sometimes interchangeable, but apprehensive suggests a state of mind and implies a premonition of evil or danger.
apprehensive of being found out