FEAR

Pronunciation (US):

• FEAR (noun)
  The noun FEAR has 3 senses:

1. an emotion experienced in anticipation of some specific pain or danger (usually accompanied by a desire to flee or fight)
2. an anxious feeling
3. a profound emotion inspired by a deity

  Familiarity information: FEAR used as a noun is uncommon.

• FEAR (verb)
  The verb FEAR has 5 senses:

1. be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
2. be afraid or scared of; be frightened of
3. be sorry; used to introduce an unpleasant statement
4. be uneasy or apprehensive about
5. regard with feelings of respect and reverence; consider hallowed or exalted or be in awe of

  Familiarity information: FEAR used as a verb is common.

• FEAR (noun)

Meaning:

An emotion experienced in anticipation of some specific pain or danger (usually accompanied by a desire to flee or fight)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Synonyms:

fear; fearfulness; fright

Hypernyms ("fear" is a kind of...):

emotion (any strong feeling)

Meronyms (parts of "fear"):

cold sweat (concurrent perspiration and chill; associated with fear)

Attribute:

afraid (filled with fear or apprehension)

fearless; unafraid (oblivious of dangers or perils or calmly resolute in facing them)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "fear"):

alarm; consternation; dismay (fear resulting from the awareness of danger)

intimidation (the feeling of being intimidated; being made to feel afraid or timid)

timidity; timidness; timorousness (fear of the unknown or unfamiliar or fear of making decisions)

apprehension; apprehensiveness; dread (fearful expectation or anticipation)

stage fright (fear that affects a person about to face an audience)

panic attack; scare (a sudden attack of fear)

affright; panic; terror (an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety)

hysteria (excessive or uncontrollable fear)

horror (intense and profound fear)

chill; frisson; quiver; shiver; shudder; thrill; tingle (an almost pleasurable sensation of fright)

creeps (a feeling of fear and revulsion)

Antonym:

fearlessness (feeling no fear)

Meaning:

An anxious feeling

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Synonyms:

fear; concern; care

Context examples:

care had aged him / they hushed it up out of fear of public reaction

Hypernyms ("fear" is a kind of...):

anxiety (a vague unpleasant emotion that is experienced in anticipation of some (usually ill-defined) misfortune)

Meaning:

A profound emotion inspired by a deity

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Synonyms:

reverence; veneration; awe; fear

Context example:

the fear of God

Hypernyms ("fear" is a kind of...):

emotion (any strong feeling)

• FEAR (verb)

Meaning:

Be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Context example:

I fear she might get aggressive

Hypernyms (to "fear" is one way to...):

worry (be worried, concerned, anxious, troubled, or uneasy)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s PP
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Sentence example:

They fear that there was a traffic accident

Meaning:

Be afraid or scared of; be frightened of

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Synonyms:

dread; fear

Context examples:

I fear the winters in Moscow / We should not fear the Communists!

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fear"):

panic (be overcome by a sudden fear)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE

Sentence example:

Sam cannot fear Sue

Meaning:

Be sorry; used to introduce an unpleasant statement

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Context example:

I fear I won't make it to your wedding party

Hypernyms (to "fear" is one way to...):

regret (be sorry)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Meaning:

Be uneasy or apprehensive about

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Context example:

I fear the results of the final exams

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Meaning:

Regard with feelings of respect and reverence; consider hallowed or exalted or be in awe of

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Synonyms:

reverence; venerate; revere; fear

Context examples:

Fear God as your father / We venerate genius

Hypernyms (to "fear" is one way to...):

esteem; prise; prize; respect; value (regard highly; think much of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fear"):

enshrine; saint (hold sacred)

worship (show devotion to (a deity))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody