afraid

afraid — adjective

1. scared of a person, animal, thing, or activity, often because you think it could

1.adjectiveA2
Definition

scared of a person, animal, thing, or activity, often because you think it could harm you.

Example

Mia is afraid of dogs after a poodle bit her finger.

be afraid of + noun (the thing feared)

Many young children are afraid of the dark at bedtime.

Common collocations
  • afraid of the dark
  • afraid of heights
  • afraid of dogs
  • afraid of failure
Synonyms
  • scared

    more informal everyday word; also predicative only

  • frightened

    slightly more formal; can sit before a noun ('a frightened child')

  • terrified

    much stronger — extreme fear

Antonyms
  • unafraid

    literary, less common in speech

  • fearless

    showing no fear at all, often as a positive trait

Grammar Patterns

be afraid of + noun

be afraid of + -ing

Usage Note

'Afraid' is predicative only — it goes after a verb like 'be', 'feel', 'look', or 'seem'. Before a noun, use 'frightened' or 'scared' instead (a frightened child, NOT an afraid child).

Common Mistakes

She is an afraid girl.
She is a frightened girl.
'afraid' cannot sit before a noun; use 'frightened' or 'scared' as the attributive form.
I am afraid from spiders.
I am afraid of spiders.
the preposition is always 'of', never 'from'.

2. worried that something bad may happen, or unwilling to do something because of t

2.adjectiveA2
Definition

worried that something bad may happen, or unwilling to do something because of that worry.

Example

Saoirse was afraid that she would fail her driving test on Saturday.

be afraid + that-clause for a feared outcome

Yara was afraid to ask her boss for a pay rise.

be afraid + to-infinitive for hesitation

Common collocations
  • afraid to ask
  • afraid to speak up
  • afraid to try
  • afraid (that) something will happen
Synonyms
  • worried

    general anxiety; doesn't take to-infinitive the same way

  • anxious

    stronger and more lasting worry

  • reluctant

    for the 'afraid to do' sense — emphasises unwillingness, not fear

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

be afraid (that) + clause

be afraid to + verb

Usage Note

Two patterns with different shades: 'be afraid that…' reports a worried thought; 'be afraid to do…' shows hesitation about acting. Distinguish from sense 1 — sense 1 names what you fear (a noun), this sense names what might happen or what you avoid doing.

Common Mistakes

I am afraid of go to the dentist.
I am afraid to go to the dentist.
use the to-infinitive when talking about an action you avoid, not 'of' + base verb.
She was afraid for losing her job.
She was afraid that she would lose her job.
use a that-clause, not 'for' + -ing, to express the worry.

3. a polite phrase used to soften unpleasant news, a refusal, or a disagreement — t

3.adjectiveB1
Definition

a polite phrase used to soften unpleasant news, a refusal, or a disagreement — the speaker is not actually scared, only sorry to deliver the message.

Example

I'm afraid the doctor cannot see you until next Tuesday.

I'm afraid + clause to soften disappointing news

I'm afraid we have sold the last ticket for tonight's concert.

Common collocations
  • I'm afraid so
  • I'm afraid not
  • I'm afraid that
  • I'm afraid I can't
Synonyms
  • sorry

    'I'm sorry, but…' carries similar regret; slightly warmer

  • regret

    'I regret to say…' is more formal, used in writing

  • unfortunately

    an adverb alternative; less personal

Grammar Patterns

I'm afraid (that) + clause

I'm afraid so / I'm afraid not

Usage Note

Pragmatic softener, NOT real fear. Almost always first-person and present tense ('I'm afraid', sometimes 'we're afraid'). Distinguish from sense 2 — here the speaker feels regret about telling you, not worry that something might happen.

Common Mistakes

He is afraid the shop is closed.' (when reporting bad news politely)
I'm afraid the shop is closed.
the polite-softener use is fixed in the first person; in third person it sounds like real fear.
I'm afraid of telling you, the meeting is cancelled.
I'm afraid the meeting is cancelled.
drop 'of telling you'; the softener is just 'I'm afraid' followed directly by the news.

4. used when you have to agree with something or confirm 'yes', even though the ans

4.adjectiveB1
Definition

used when you have to agree with something or confirm 'yes', even though the answer makes you or the listener unhappy.

Example

Did the cat eat the goldfish? I'm afraid so — there are scales on the floor.

'I'm afraid so' = a sad 'yes' to an unwelcome question

Is grandma still in hospital? I'm afraid so, and the doctors want more tests.

'I'm afraid so' confirms an unwelcome 'yes'

Common collocations
  • I'm afraid so
  • I'm afraid yes
  • I'm afraid it has
  • I'm afraid that's right
Synonyms
Antonyms
  • happily

    'happily, yes' — a cheerful confirmation

Grammar Patterns

I'm afraid so

I'm afraid (that) + clause confirming bad fact

Usage Note

Closely related to sense 3, but specifically used to confirm a 'yes' answer that the speaker wishes were 'no'. The fixed reply 'I'm afraid so' belongs here. Distinguish from sense 3 — sense 3 introduces fresh bad news; sense 4 reluctantly agrees with what was just suggested or asked.

Common Mistakes

A: Is the report finished? B: Yes, I'm afraid.
A: Is the report finished? B: I'm afraid so.
the fixed reply is 'I'm afraid so', not a trailing 'I'm afraid'.
I'm afraid so' to mean a happy 'yes'.
Use plain 'Yes' or 'Yes, definitely'.
'I'm afraid so' always carries regret about the answer.
Idioms

I’m afraid

idiom

Used to politely say something bad or disappointing.

I'm afraid I forgot to bring your book, Sara.

Are you coming to the party? I'm afraid not.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five words describe fear, but they differ in strength, register, and where they sit in a sentence. 'Afraid' and 'scared' are the most everyday choices; both must follow a verb (be/feel/look afraid), so neither can stand directly before a noun. 'Scared' feels slightly more casual and physical — a child screams because she is scared. 'Frightened' is a touch more formal and is the one to reach for when you need an attributive form: 'a frightened rabbit', 'frightened eyes'. 'Terrified' jumps to the top of the scale: it means overwhelmed by fear, not just uneasy. 'Anxious' shifts the meaning toward worry over time rather than a sudden scare — you are anxious about an exam next week, but afraid of the snake at your feet right now. Compare: 'Mia is afraid of dogs' (general fear), 'Mia looked terrified when the dog barked' (extreme reaction), 'Mia is anxious about her vet visit tomorrow' (lasting worry).

afraid ↗scared ↗frightened ↗terrified ↗anxious ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • very afraid
  • really afraid
  • secretly afraid
  • genuinely afraid
  • deeply afraid

Phrases

  • nothing to be afraid of
  • don't be afraid
  • I'm afraid so
  • I'm afraid not

Prepositions

  • afraid of
  • afraid for (someone)

Etymology

GermanicVulgar LatinAnglo-FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Afraid' began life in Middle English as 'affraied', the past participle of the verb 'affray' meaning 'to startle or frighten'. That verb came into English from Anglo-French 'afrayer', which itself drew on a Germanic root carried into Latin meaning 'to take out of peace'. As the old verb 'affray' faded from everyday use, its participle survived and became a free-standing adjective — which is why 'afraid', like other former participles, still prefers to follow a verb rather than sit in front of a noun.