Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Related Searches
on Ask.com
Synonyms
Nearby Entries
fearful - 3 dictionary results

fear⋅ful

  [feer-fuhl]
Use fearful in a Sentence
–adjective
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 reverence: fearful of the Lord.
4. showing or caused by fear: fearful behavior.
5. extreme in size, intensity, or badness: a fearful head cold; fearful poverty.
Origin:
1300–50; ME ferful. See fear, -ful

Related forms:
fear⋅ful⋅ly, adverb
fear⋅ful⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
2. afraid, timid, timorous, apprehensive, uneasy, distrustful; solicitous, anxious, concerned, worried.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To fearful
fear·ful   (fîr'fəl)   
adj.  
  1. Causing or capable of causing fear; frightening: a fearful howling.
  2. Experiencing fear; frightened. See Synonyms at afraid.
  3. Feeling or inclined to feel anxiety or apprehension; timid; nervous.
  4. Indicating anxiety, fear, or terror: a fearful, nervous glance.
  5. Feeling reverence, dread, or awe.
  6. Extreme, as in degree or extent; dreadful: a fearful blunder; fearful poverty.
fear'ful·ly adv., fear'ful·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Fearful

Fear"ful\, a. 1. Full of fear, apprehension, or alarm; afraid; frightened.

Anxious amidst all their success, and fearful amidat all their power. --Bp. Warburton.

2. inclined to fear; easily frightened; without courage; timid.

What man is there that is fearful and faint-hearted? --Deut. xx. 8.

3. Indicating, or caused by, fear.

Cold fearful drops stand on my trembling flesh. --Shak.

4. Inspiring fear or awe; exciting apprehension or terror; terrible; frightful; dreadful.

This glorious and fearful name, The Lord thy God. --Deut. xxviii. 58.

Death is a fearful thing. --Shak.

In dreams they fearful precipices tread. --Dryden.

Syn: Apprehensive; afraid; timid; timorous; horrible; distressing; shocking; frightful; dreadful; awful.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source
Language Translation for : fearful
Spanish: temeroso,
German: furchtsam,
Japanese: 恐れて
More Translations »
Search another word or see fearful on Thesaurus | Reference