Afraid
/əˈfɹeɪd/ adj
adj ·Common ·High school level
Definitions
Adjective
- 1 Impressed with fear or apprehension; in fear. predicative
"He is afraid of death."
- 2 Regretful, sorry; expressing a reluctance to face an unpleasant situation. predicative
"I am afraid I cannot help you in this matter."
- 3 Worried about, feeling concern for, fearing for (someone or something). predicative
Adjective
- 1 filled with fear or apprehension wordnet
- 2 filled with regret or concern; used often to soften an unpleasant statement wordnet
- 3 feeling worry or concern or insecurity wordnet
- 4 having feelings of aversion or unwillingness wordnet
Antonyms
All antonymsExample
More examples"Every person who is alone is alone because they are afraid of others."
Etymology
From Middle English affrayed, affraied, past participle of afraien (“to affray”), from Anglo-Norman afrayer (“to terrify, disquiet, disturb”), from Old French effreer, esfreer (“to disturb, remove the peace from”), from es- (“out”) + freer (“to secure, secure the peace”), from Frankish *friþu (“security, peace”), from Proto-Germanic *friþuz (“peace”), from Proto-Germanic *frijōną (“to free; to love”), from Proto-Indo-European *prāy-, *prēy- (“to like, love”). By surface analysis, affray + -ed. Compare also afeard. More at free, friend.