fearful

fearful — adjective

1. feeling afraid or nervous because you think something bad may happen or has alre

1.形容詞B1
釋義

feeling afraid or nervous because you think something bad may happen or has already happened

例句

Sofia was fearful of walking home alone after dark.

fearful of + gerund

Mert felt fearful when he heard the strange noises from the basement.

同義詞
  • afraid

    more general and more common in everyday speech; less formal than 'fearful'

  • scared

    more informal and often describes a sudden or physical fear

  • worried

    focuses on anxious thoughts about a future possibility rather than immediate danger

  • apprehensive

    more formal; describes nervousness about something specific that has not yet happened

反義詞

文法句型

fearful of + noun/gerund

fearful for + noun (expressing worry about someone's safety)

fearful that + clause

grow/become fearful

用法筆記

The pattern 'fearful of + gerund' is more common than 'fearful + to-infinitive'. For a sudden, momentary feeling of fear, 'afraid' or 'scared' often sound more natural than 'fearful'.

常見錯誤

❌She was fearful from the dark.
✅She was fearful of the dark.
💡use 'of', not 'from', after 'fearful'.
❌I am fearful to tell my parents.
✅I am afraid to tell my parents.' or 'I am fearful of telling my parents.
💡'fearful' rarely takes a to-infinitive; use 'afraid to' or 'fearful of + gerund'.

2. extremely unpleasant, serious, or intense — used to make a bad situation sound w

2.形容詞B2
釋義

extremely unpleasant, serious, or intense — used to make a bad situation sound worse than just saying 'very'

例句

The kitchen was in a fearful mess after the party.

a fearful mess — informal intensifier

Mathieu made a fearful noise when he dropped the metal tray.

同義詞
  • terrible

    more common and neutral in register; works across dialects

  • awful

    equally strong but more widely used in everyday speech

  • dreadful

    similar meaning and register, common in British English

反義詞
  • slight

    small in degree, the opposite of intense

  • mild

    not serious or severe

文法句型

a fearful + noun (informal intensifier)

用法筆記

This sense is mainly used in informal British English before a noun. It is far less common in American English, where 'terrible', 'awful', or 'horrible' are preferred.

常見錯誤

❌The weather was fearful yesterday.' (trying to use it after a verb)
✅We had fearful weather yesterday.' or 'The weather was terrible yesterday.
💡this sense of 'fearful' is rarely used after verbs like 'be'; use it before a noun or use 'terrible'/'awful' instead.

3. causing people to feel scared, alarmed, or shocked by the strength or danger of

3.形容詞B2
釋義

causing people to feel scared, alarmed, or shocked by the strength or danger of something

例句

The sudden explosion made a fearful sound that echoed through the valley.

a fearful sound — describing what causes fear

The doctor described the illness as a fearful disease that could spread quickly.

同義詞
  • frightening

    more common and neutral; preferred in everyday English

  • scary

    informal and very common in conversation

  • terrifying

    stronger, suggesting intense fear

  • alarming

    suggests worry or shock more than raw fear

反義詞
  • reassuring

    making someone feel less worried or afraid

  • calm

    peaceful and without danger

文法句型

a fearful + noun (something that causes fear)

be fearful (to describe an event/thing)

常見錯誤

❌The horror film was very fearful.' (confusing with 'frightening')
✅The horror film was very frightening.
💡'fearful' as 'causing fear' is less common than 'frightening' or 'scary' in everyday speech. Learners often overuse it; 'frightening' is the safer choice.

4. having a shy, nervous character and tending to be afraid in many different situa

4.形容詞C1
釋義

having a shy, nervous character and tending to be afraid in many different situations — not just a single moment of fear

例句

As a child, Sora was a fearful girl who rarely spoke in class.

fearful as a personality trait

His fearful nature kept him from making new friends at school.

同義詞
  • timid

    more common for describing a shy personality; less formal

  • timorous

    formal and literary; very close in meaning

  • nervous

    focuses on the feeling rather than the personality; can be temporary

  • shy

    describes discomfort around people specifically, not fear of things

反義詞
  • brave

    willing to face danger or difficulty

  • bold

    confident and willing to take risks

  • outgoing

    socially confident and friendly

文法句型

a fearful + person/animal (describing nature)

be fearful (of a person's character)

用法筆記

This sense describes a person's lasting character rather than a temporary feeling. Compare: 'a fearful child' (timid by nature) vs 'a frightened child' (scared at a particular moment). The word 'timid' is more common in modern English for this meaning.

常見錯誤

❌The dog looked fearful when it saw the stranger.' (intended as temporary)
✅The dog looked timid when it saw the stranger.
💡for a one-time reaction of fear, use 'frightened' or 'scared'; reserve 'fearful' for describing a naturally shy or nervous character.