fear

Pronunciation

• (AU) IPA ^(key): /fiə/, SAMPA: /fi@/
• (UK) IPA ^(key): /fɪə/, SAMPA: /fI@/
• (US) IPA ^(key): /fɪr/, SAMPA: /fir/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

Singular fear

Plural fears

A man showing fear

1. (countable & uncountable) Fear is a bad feeling usually caused by a danger or a worry that something bad might happen.

   He was struck with fear when he thought he saw a ghost.

   She has a fear of spiders.

2. (uncountable) Fear is the chance that something might happen.

   There's no fear of her being on time. She's always late.

3. (countable); (singular) Fear is a feeling of very high respect, usually towards a god.

   Christians who worship in churches have a fear of God.

Synonyms

• worry
• phobia

Verb

Plain form fear

Third-person singular fears

Past tense feared

Past participle feared

Present participle fearing

1. (transitive & intransitive) If you fear something, you are afraid of it.

   I fear the worst will happen.

   She feared for his safety.

2. (transitive) You say you fear something when you're giving someone bad news.

   I fear that she has left already.

3. (transitive) If you fear something, usually a god, you show great respect towards it.

   Christians in churches fear God.

Related words

• frighten
• scare

Emotions or feelings (edit)

anger - confusion - embarrassment - envy - fear - happiness - hate - love - regret - sadness - shame - surprise - worry