English adjective: fearful | |||
1. | fearful experiencing or showing fear | ||
Samples | A fearful glance. Fearful of criticism. | ||
Similar | afraid | ||
Antonyms | fearless, unafraid | ||
2. | fearful causing fear or dread or terror | ||
Samples | The awful war. An awful risk. Dire news. A career or vengeance so direful that London was shocked. The dread presence of the headmaster. Polio is no longer the dreaded disease it once was. A dreadful storm. A fearful howling. Horrendous explosions shook the city. A terrible curse. | ||
Synonyms | awful, dire, direful, dread, dreaded, dreadful, fearsome, frightening, horrendous, horrific, terrible | ||
Similar | alarming | ||
Antonyms | unalarming | ||
3. | fearful lacking courage; ignobly timid and faint-hearted | ||
Samples | Cowardly dogs, ye will not aid me then. | ||
Synonyms | cowardly | ||
Similar | caitiff, chicken, chickenhearted, craven, dastard, dastardly, faint, faint-hearted, fainthearted, funky, lily-livered, poltroon, poor-spirited, pusillanimous, recreant, timid, unmanly, white-livered, yellow, yellow-bellied | ||
See also | afraid, ignoble, timid | ||
Attribute | cowardice, cowardliness | ||
Antonyms | brave, courageous | ||
4. | fearful extremely distressing | ||
Samples | Fearful slum conditions. A frightful mistake. | ||
Synonyms | frightful | ||
Similar | bad | ||
Antonyms | good | ||
5. | fearful timid by nature or revealing timidity | ||
Samples | Timorous little mouse. In a timorous tone. Cast fearful glances at the large dog. | ||
Synonyms | timorous, trepid | ||
Similar | timid | ||
Antonyms | bold | ||