verb
Uncommon
fearing
Fearing (verb) means present participle of fear: feeling afraid of or worried about something. Example: “Fearing the traffic, they left an hour early.”
verb
1
Present participle of fear: feeling afraid of or worried about something.
"Fearing the traffic, they left an hour early."
"Fearing she would be late, she ran the last few streets."
"He stayed indoors all day, fearing the storm would return."
How to use fearing
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe -ing form of "fear" — being afraid of or worried about something.
Common pairings
fearing the worst
fearing for their lives
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Word forms
Fill the gap
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_____ the traffic, they left an hour early.
Synonyms
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dreading
worrying about
apprehensive about
Related words
Rhymes for fearing
See all rhymes for fearing →Frequently asked questions
What does “fearing” mean?
The word “fearing” means present participle of fear: feeling afraid of or worried about something. In plain terms, the -ing form of "fear" — being afraid of or worried about something.
How do you use “fearing” in a sentence?
Here is “fearing” used in a sentence: “Fearing the traffic, they left an hour early.”
What part of speech is “fearing”?
“Fearing” is a verb.
Is “fearing” a common word?
“Fearing” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How is fearing used differently from fear in a sentence?
Fearing is the present participle of fear and is used to form continuous verb tenses or introduce a participial clause, as in "fearing the worst, she called the doctor." Fear itself is the base verb form, used as in "she feared the worst."
What does fearing for mean, as in fearing for one's life?
"Fearing for" is a common collocation meaning to be worried about the safety or wellbeing of someone or something, as in "fearing for his safety." It expresses concern about a potential negative outcome rather than fear of the thing itself.
Can fearing be followed directly by a clause?
Yes, fearing is often followed by a "that" clause, as in "fearing that the storm would worsen, they left early." This construction lets a participial phrase introduce the reason behind an action described later in the sentence.
