# fearing

/ˈfɪɹɪŋ/ (US) · /fˈiəɹɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fearing
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 2. feeling or showing fear

adjective · CEFR B2

showing that you are scared or worried.

For teachers: exhibiting or feeling fear; often used in compound forms or specific literary contexts to describe a person's state.

- The fearing child hid behind his mother when the dog barked.
- The fearing citizens huddled in the basement, listening to the sirens echo through the empty streets.

### 3. showing deep respect

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal · Literary

showing a lot of respect or honor to someone powerful, like a god.

For teachers: showing profound respect, awe, or deference; most commonly encountered in the compound 'God-fearing'.

- He was known as a quiet, God-fearing man who helped his neighbors.
- The community was composed of God-fearing individuals who adhered strictly to the traditional moral codes of their ancestors.

Teaching tip: In modern English, this sense is almost exclusively used in the phrase 'God-fearing' to describe a religious person.

## Examples

- Fearing a storm, they decided to stay home.
- Fearing that the company might close, many employees started looking for new jobs elsewhere.
- Fearing a total collapse of the local economy, the central bank intervened with a massive injection of liquidity to stabilize the markets.

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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.