# fear

/ˈfɪɹ/ (US) · /fˈiə/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fear
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. the feeling of being afraid

noun · CEFR A2

the unpleasant feeling you have when you think something dangerous or painful might happen.

For teachers: an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.

- The little boy tried to hide his fear of the dark by leaving a small lamp on.
- The sudden turbulence in the cabin caused a wave of fear to sweep through the passengers, many of whom began to pray silently.

### 2. a specific phobia

noun · CEFR B1

a specific thing that makes you feel afraid.

For teachers: a specific instance or type of phobia; a particular thing that causes an individual to feel afraid.

- One of her biggest fears is spiders, so she never goes into the basement.
- The therapist worked with the patient to confront his deep-seated fears regarding public speaking and social rejection.

### 3. anxiety after drinking

noun · CEFR C2 · British English · Informal · Slang

a feeling of worry or regret the morning after drinking too much alcohol.

For teachers: a state of acute anxiety or existential dread experienced during a hangover, often involving worry about one's behavior while intoxicated.

- He woke up with a headache and a terrible case of the fear after the office party.
- Waking up with the fear, she spent the entire morning checking her sent messages to ensure she hadn't offended anyone the night before.

Usage: Usually used with the definite article as 'the fear'.

### 4. to be afraid of

verb · CEFR A2

to be afraid of someone or something.

For teachers: to be afraid of someone or something as a likely cause of danger or pain; to regard with apprehension.

- Many people fear snakes even if they have never seen one in real life.
- The local residents fear that the new highway construction will destroy the quiet character of their historic neighborhood.

### 5. to worry about a result

verb · CEFR B1

to worry that something bad will happen or is true.

For teachers: to anticipate a negative outcome with concern or anxiety; often used to introduce bad news politely.

- I fear that we will be late for the movie if we don't leave now.
- The doctor told the family that he feared the treatment was no longer having the desired effect on the patient's condition.

Usage: Often used in the phrase 'I fear that...' or 'I fear so'.

### 6. to show deep respect

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal · Literary

to have great respect and a little bit of fear for a powerful being, like a god.

For teachers: to feel reverence or awe toward a deity or a person of great authority.

- The ancient text tells the followers to fear their creator and follow the laws.
- In many traditional cultures, to fear the king was considered a necessary component of civic duty and social order.

## Examples

- The child felt a sudden fear of the dark.
- Many people experience a deep fear of public speaking before they have to give a presentation.
- The sudden collapse of the market instilled a widespread fear among investors, leading to a frantic sell-off of assets that further destabilised the economy.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.