trepidation
n.a feeling of fear or worry about something that is going to happen. You might feel this before a big test or a difficult meeting.
n.a state of fear, anxiety, or apprehension. Often used to describe the emotional state preceding a significant or potentially dangerous event.
“She walked into the interview with a lot of trepidation.”
“Despite his years of experience, the pilot felt a sense of trepidation before landing in the thick fog.”
“The explorers approached the uncharted territory with trepidation, aware that their maps were incomplete and their supplies were running low.”
“Photograph: Aidan Monaghan/HBO Max Both anticipation and trepidation are high for the small-screen version of JK Rowling’s wizarding classic .”
“Aston Villa supporters could have been forgiven for approaching the new season with feelings of great anxiety, nagging angst and face-twitching trepidation.”
Borrowed from Latin trepidātiō, from trepidō (“be agitated”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.