adj
Uncommon
fearful
FEER-fuhl
Fearful (adj) means feeling afraid or anxious. Example: “She was fearful of what the test results might show.”
adj
1
Feeling afraid or anxious.
"She was fearful of what the test results might show."
"The fearful puppy hid under the sofa during the thunder."
"He felt fearful about starting at a new school alone."
2
Causing fear; terrifying.
"A fearful storm battered the coastline all night."
"The travellers heard a fearful roar from somewhere in the dark cave."
"It was a fearful sight when the old bridge collapsed."
3
Very bad or severe (informal intensifier).
"They made a fearful mess of the kitchen."
"There was a fearful row about who had broken the window."
"The children made a fearful noise in the playground this morning."
How to use fearful
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFrightened, or (of things) frightening — and informally, just "terrible" or "extreme."
Common pairings
fearful of
fearful silence
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more fearful
- Superlative
- most fearful
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She was _____ of what the test results might show.
Etymology
From Middle English ferful or fervol, equivalent to fear plus -ful.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for fearful
See all rhymes for fearful →Frequently asked questions
What does “fearful” mean?
The word “fearful” means feeling afraid or anxious. In plain terms, frightened, or (of things) frightening — and informally, just "terrible" or "extreme.".
How do you pronounce “fearful”?
“Fearful” is pronounced FEER-fuhl (/ˈfɪɹfəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “fearful” in a sentence?
Here is “fearful” used in a sentence: “She was fearful of what the test results might show.”
What part of speech is “fearful”?
“Fearful” is an adjective.
Is “fearful” a common word?
“Fearful” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “fearful” have?
“Fearful” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: feeling afraid or anxious.
What is the difference between fearful and afraid?
Afraid is the more common, everyday word for feeling fear, usually followed by "of," as in "afraid of spiders." Fearful means the same thing but has a slightly more formal or literary tone and can also describe something that causes fear, a meaning afraid does not carry.
What is the difference between fearful and fearsome?
Fearful can describe either the person feeling afraid or something that inspires fear, while fearsome is used only to describe something frightening or intimidating, not the person experiencing the fear. A fearful child looks at a fearsome dog.
