feared

IPA/fɪər/
KK[fˈɪrd]IPA/fɪr/

feared — verb

  • fearedpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • feareds3rd person singular
  • feareding-ing form
  • fearededpast simple

1. to feel afraid of someone or something because you believe they could harm or tr

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to feel afraid of someone or something because you believe they could harm or trouble you

Example

Inês feared the large dog that barked at her during the walk to school.

fear + noun phrase for something believed to be dangerous

The villagers feared the rising floodwaters as the rain continued through the night.

Common collocations
  • fear + (noun: the dark, heights, snakes, strangers, the unknown)
  • greatly fear
Synonyms
  • dread

    stronger than 'fear'; suggests deep anxiety about a specific future event

  • be scared of

    more informal and commonly used in everyday speech

Antonyms
  • brave

    describes a person who does not feel fear

Grammar Patterns

fear + noun phrase

Usage Note

Frequently used in the past tense ('feared') when describing a general attitude toward a person, animal, or situation. Unlike sense 2, the danger here is real and present rather than hypothetical.

Common Mistakes

I feared from the loud noise.
I feared the loud noise.
“fear” is a transitive verb and takes a direct object without a preposition.
I am fearing the exam tomorrow.
I fear the exam tomorrow.
“fear” is a stative verb and is not normally used in continuous (-ing) forms.

2. to feel anxious because you think something unpleasant is possible or has alread

2.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

to feel anxious because you think something unpleasant is possible or has already taken place

Example

Rescue teams feared that the missing climbers had run out of food and water.

fear + that-clause for expressing worry about a possible event

Lara feared for her younger brother's safety when he left home without telling anyone.

fear for + noun phrase (something or someone at risk)

Common collocations
  • fear that + clause
  • fear for + (safety, life, future, survival)
  • fear the worst
Synonyms
  • worry

    less intense than 'fear'; focuses on mental anxiety rather than actual fright

  • be afraid that

    more common in spoken English than 'fear that'

Antonyms
  • hope

    the opposite feeling — wanting something good to happen instead of expecting something bad

Grammar Patterns

fear + that-clause

fear for + noun phrase

Usage Note

Commonly followed by a that-clause (fear that something will happen) or the preposition 'for' (fear for someone's safety). Unlike sense 1, the fear is about a possibility rather than something immediately dangerous.

Common Mistakes

I fear for that it will rain tomorrow.
I fear that it will rain tomorrow.' OR 'I fear for my garden.
“fear for” is not followed by a that-clause; use 'fear that' for clauses and 'fear for' before a noun phrase.

3. used in formal English to politely tell someone about bad news or to express reg

3.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

used in formal English to politely tell someone about bad news or to express regret when giving an unpleasant answer

Example

I fear there has been a misunderstanding about the terms of the contract.

formal: 'I fear' structure for politely introducing bad news

I fear the hotel has lost our booking for Tariro's wedding weekend.

formulaic: first-person 'I fear' opener for giving bad news

Common collocations
  • I fear
  • I fear not
  • I fear so
Synonyms
  • regret to say

    more formal and slightly more polite than 'I fear'

  • I'm afraid

    the common spoken equivalent; less formal and much more frequent in conversation

Grammar Patterns

I fear + that-clause for polite bad news

Usage Note

Almost always used in the first-person singular ('I fear') in formal or written English. In casual conversation, speakers prefer 'I'm afraid...' instead. The that-clause is often introduced without 'that' ('I fear we have no choice').

Common Mistakes

I fear you to be wrong.
I fear that you are wrong.
“fear” in this sense is followed by a that-clause, not an object + infinitive structure.

feared — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/2

All four express anxiety about a possible negative outcome, but they differ in intensity and usage. 'Fear' (B1) is the strongest: it suggests real danger or deep anxiety ('I fear the test results'). 'Worry' (A2) is milder and focuses on mental rumination over time ('I worry about my daughter's future'). 'Be afraid' (A2) is the most common in everyday speech and can replace both 'fear' and 'worry' in many contexts ('I'm afraid he won't come'). 'Dread' (B2) is the strongest of all and implies a painful sense of anticipation about a specific event ('She dreaded giving the speech'). In writing, 'fear' sounds more formal than 'worry', while 'dread' adds dramatic weight.

fear ↗worry ↗be afraiddread ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • fear + (the dark, heights, failure, change)
  • fear that + clause
  • fear of + noun

Adverbs

  • greatly feared
  • widely feared
  • most feared
  • secretly feared

Phrases

  • fear the worst
  • never fear
  • I fear so
  • I fear not

Prepositions

  • fear for
  • fear about

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Fear comes from Old English 'færan' (to terrify, to frighten), which developed from a Proto-Germanic root meaning 'danger' or 'sudden calamity.' Related words in other Germanic languages carried a similar sense of 'ambush' or 'plotting harm.' By the Middle English period, the meaning had shifted from 'causing fear' to the modern 'feeling fear.' The adjective use (a feared opponent) developed later, from the past participle of the verb.

First known use

1599

1599, in the meaning defined above