fearful

fearful
I
(Roget's IV) modif.
1. [Inclined to fear]
Syn. apprehensive, nervous, afraid, timid; see afraid 1 , 2 , cowardly 1 .
2. [Causing fear]
Syn. terrifying, dreadful, shocking; see frightful 1 .
See Synonym Study at afraid .
II
(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus) a.
1. afraid frightened, scared, terrified, apprehensive, dreading, alarmed, anxious, frantic, panicky, discomposed, nervous, shaking, awed, uneasy, dismayed, intimidated, timorous, skittish, jittery, horrified, phobic, *sweating bullets.
2. frightening terrifying, scary, frightful, dreadful, alarming, horrifying, chilling, nightmarish, distressing, creepy, shocking, horrible, *hair-raising, bloodcurdling, formidable, *adrenalizing, *heart-pounding, paralyzing.
WORD FIND
• Body reactions/language: hackles rise; small hairs at the back of the neck stir; prickling sensation up spine; skin crawling; icy chill down spine; skin blossoming with goosebumps; quaking knees; throat closes spastically; gulp; swallow dryly; swallow a lump in throat; knot constricting throat; breath raw in one’s throat; shudder; heart fluttering/pounding/palpitating/hammering/performing flipflops; breath quickens; blood pounds in one’s throat; trap door (sensation) opening in pit of belly; nauseating spurts of adrenalin coursing through veins; gasp; gulp air furiously; feel paralyzed; feel strangely semipresent or disembodied, as if in a dream; events appearing in slow motion; wring hands; sweat bullets; break out in cold sweat; skin turns clammy; stomach knots/clenches/shrivels/lurches; recoil in shock; reel; jumpy; feel weak and shaky from adrenalin
• Facial expressions: gape pop-eyed, stare saucer-eyed with terror, stare catatonically, face ashen, face stricken, eyes take on a hunted look, nostrils dilate, face pales, blood drains from face, eyes dart maniacally, eyes widen in alarm, eyes transfixed, eyes watch with numbed horror, eyes watch with fascinated horror, peer wild-eyed, eyes blink with incredulity, lips form a silent O.
• Voice: becomes high and hysterical, strangled cry, desperate, shrill with horror, hoarse shriek, mute, gargling scream, guttural scream, raw, constricted, strained, cracking, quavering, rises an octave
III
(Roget's Thesaurus II) adjective 1. Causing or able to cause fear: appalling, dire, direful, dreadful, fearsome, formidable, frightful, ghastly, redoubtable, scary, terrible, tremendous. See FEAR. 2. Filled with fear or terror: afraid, aghast, apprehensive, fearsome, funky, panicky. Regional: afeard, ascared. See FEAR. 3. Very bad: appalling, awful, dreadful, frightful, ghastly, horrendous, horrible, shocking, terrible. See GOOD.

English dictionary for students. 2013.

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Synonyms:
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • fearful — 1 Fearful, apprehensive, afraid are comparable when they mean inspired or moved by fear. In such use they are normally followed by of, that, or lest, afraid being never and fearful and apprehensive infrequently used attributively in this sense.… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • fearful — fearful, fearsome 1. Fearful means ‘full of fear; frightened, apprehensive’, usually with reference to something specific, and is normally followed by of or by a clause introduced by that or lest: • Eisenhower s official policy was to remain… …   Modern English usage

  • Fearful — Fear ful (f[=e]r f[.u]l), a. 1. Full of fear, apprehension, or alarm; afraid; frightened. [1913 Webster] Anxious amidst all their success, and fearful amidst all their power. Bp. Warburton. [1913 Webster] 2. Inclined to fear; easily frightened;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • fearful — [fir′fəl] adj. 1. causing fear; terrifying; dreadful 2. feeling fear; afraid 3. showing or resulting from fear [a fearful look] 4. Informal very bad, offensive, great, etc. [a fearful liar] SYN. AFRAID fearfulness n …   English World dictionary

  • fearful — [adj1] alarmed, apprehensive aflutter, afraid, aghast, agitated, anxious, chicken, chickenhearted*, diffident, discomposed, disquieted, disturbed, fainthearted, frightened, goosebumpy*, have cold feet*, hesitant, in a dither*, intimidated,… …   New thesaurus

  • fearful — index dire, formidable, ineffable, ominous, pending (imminent), portentous (ominous), recreant …   Law dictionary

  • fearful — mid 14c., “causing fear,” from FEAR (Cf. fear) + FUL (Cf. ful). Meaning “full of fear, timid” (now less common) also is from mid 14c. As a mere emphatic, from 1630s. Related: Fearfully; fearfulness …   Etymology dictionary

  • fearful — ► ADJECTIVE 1) showing or causing fear. 2) informal very great. DERIVATIVES fearfully adverb fearfulness noun …   English terms dictionary

  • fearful — [[t]fɪ͟ə(r)fʊl[/t]] 1) ADJ GRADED: usu v link ADJ, oft ADJ of n, ADJ that If you are fearful of something, you are afraid of it. [FORMAL] Bankers were fearful of a world banking crisis... I had often been very fearful, very angry, and very… …   English dictionary

  • fearful — adjective Date: 14th century 1. causing or likely to cause fear, fright, or alarm especially because of dangerous quality < a fearful storm > 2. a. full of fear < fearful for his safety > b. indicating or arising from fear < a fearful glance > c …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • fearful — fearfully, adv. fearfulness, n. /fear feuhl/, adj. 1. causing or apt to cause fear; frightening: a fearful apparition. 2. feeling fear, dread, apprehension, or solicitude: fearful for his life; fearful lest he commit suicide. 3. full of awe or… …   Universalium

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