/ əˈfreɪd; NAmE / adjective [ not before noun ]
1.
afraid (of sb/sth) | afraid (of doing sth) | afraid (to do sth) feeling fear; frightened because you think that you might be hurt or suffer :
Don't be afraid.
It's all over. There's nothing to be afraid of now.
Are you afraid of spiders?
I started to feel afraid of going out alone at night.
She was afraid to open the door.
2.
afraid of doing sth | afraid to do sth | afraid (that ... ) worried about what might happen :
She was afraid of upsetting her parents.
Don't be afraid to ask if you don't understand.
We were afraid (that) we were going to capsize the boat.
3.
afraid for sb/sth worried or frightened that sth unpleasant, dangerous, etc. will happen to a particular person or thing :
I'm not afraid for me, but for the baby.
They had already fired three people and he was afraid for his job.
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IDIOMS
- I'm afraid
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SYNONYMS
afraid
frightened ♦ scared ♦ alarmed ♦ paranoid ♦ apprehensive
All these words describe feeling or showing fear.
afraid
[not before noun] feeling fear; worried that sth bad might happen:
There's nothing to be afraid of.
•
Aren't you afraid (that) you'll fall?
frightened
feeling fear; worried that sth bad might happen:
a frightened child
•
She was frightened that the glass would break.
scared
( rather informal ) feeling fear; worried that sth bad might happen:
The thieves got scared and ran away.
afraid, frightened or scared?
Scared is more informal, more common in speech, and often describes small fears. Afraid cannot come before a noun. It can only take the preposition of , not about . If you are afraid / frightened / scared of sb/sth/doing sth or afraid / frightened / scared to do sth, you think you are in danger of being hurt or suffering in some way. If you are frightened / scared about sth/doing sth, it is less a fear for your personal safety and more a worry that sth unpleasant might happen.
alarmed
[not before noun] afraid that sth dangerous or unpleasant might happen:
She was alarmed at the prospect of travelling alone.
paranoid
( rather informal ) afraid or suspicious of other people and believing that they are trying to harm you, in a way that is not reasonable:
You're just being paranoid.
apprehensive
( rather formal ) slightly afraid that sth bad might happen:
I was a little apprehensive about the effects of what I had said.
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS :
Don't be afraid / frightened / scared / alarmed.
frightened / scared / paranoid / apprehensive about ...
afraid / frightened / scared / apprehensive that ...
afraid / frightened / scared of spiders, etc.
to feel / look / sound afraid / frightened / scared / alarmed / apprehensive
to get frightened / scared / paranoid
afraid / frightened / scared to open the door, etc.
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : past participle of the obsolete verb affray , from Anglo-Norman French afrayer disturb, startle, based on an element of Germanic origin related to Old English frithu peace, safety .