fearful
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.feeling afraid that something bad might happen.
adj.feeling or showing fear; apprehensive that a particular outcome may occur.
Simple“Many people are fearful of losing their jobs during the economic crisis.”
In context“The residents remained fearful of further flooding, keeping their most valuable possessions on the upper floors of their homes.”
UsageOften followed by the preposition 'of' or a 'that' clause.
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.something that is very scary or frightening.
adj.causing or capable of causing fear; inspiring awe or dread.
Simple“The tiger let out a fearful roar that echoed through the trees.”
In context“The storm unleashed a fearful power, uprooting ancient oaks and tossing small boats onto the shore like toys.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
adj.extremely bad or unpleasant.
adj.shockingly bad or intense; used to emphasize a negative quality.
Simple“The accident was a fearful sight that I will never forget.”
In context“The refugees had endured fearful hardships during their long journey across the border.”
Teacher's tipIn modern English, this sense is often replaced by 'terrible' or 'horrific' in casual speech.
- 04 C2 Proficiency
adv.used to mean 'very' or 'extremely' in some local styles of speaking.
adv.used as an intensifier meaning 'extremely' or 'very'.
Simple“It is fearful cold outside this morning, so wear a heavy coat.”
In context“He was a fearful long time in returning from the village, causing his family much worry.”
UsageTypically used as an intensifier before an adjective.
“And voters might be fearful that if they try to vote by mail it won’t be counted.”
“The party has long been fearful of public reaction to deaths of senior officials and public figures.”
From Middle English ferful, fervol, equivalent to fear + -ful.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.