as in worrying
to experience concern or anxiety
her friends feared that she was dating a guy who was all wrong for her
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Recent Examples of fearing
Daniel Zhao, Glassdoor's chief economist, said fewer people are quitting their jobs, fearing an unstable market, a dynamic that comes at a cost to employee morale and career satisfaction.
—
Jennifer Elias, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2026
Pedrick, fearing the worst, turned to social media for help.
—Brandon Truitt, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
Animal welfare concerns had grown during the search, with some fearing the outcome could turn tragic.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
The Iran war has dampened the mood at China’s biggest trade fair, with exporters fearing the conflict will further dent demand for their products as economic growth slows.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Izzo initially allowed it but then refused more, fearing the effect of being around many graves on Ikhlass’s kids, who were living with her and Izzo in the school.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2026
The party has been mired in a messy primary season with some leaders fearing the crowded field could cost them spot in the November general election.
—ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
Leaders expressed reluctance to get involved earlier in the war, fearing a broader conflict.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 9 Apr. 2026
While Council members expressed sympathy towardf those who have been impacted by recent federal immigration action, some members were hesitant to pursue such an ordinance, fearing that the legislation would give residents a false sense of security.
—Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Jennifer Elias, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2026
Pedrick, fearing the worst, turned to social media for help.
—Brandon Truitt, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
Animal welfare concerns had grown during the search, with some fearing the outcome could turn tragic.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
The Iran war has dampened the mood at China’s biggest trade fair, with exporters fearing the conflict will further dent demand for their products as economic growth slows.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Izzo initially allowed it but then refused more, fearing the effect of being around many graves on Ikhlass’s kids, who were living with her and Izzo in the school.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2026
The party has been mired in a messy primary season with some leaders fearing the crowded field could cost them spot in the November general election.
—ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
Leaders expressed reluctance to get involved earlier in the war, fearing a broader conflict.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 9 Apr. 2026
While Council members expressed sympathy towardf those who have been impacted by recent federal immigration action, some members were hesitant to pursue such an ordinance, fearing that the legislation would give residents a false sense of security.
—Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fearing
worrying
Verb
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Medieval schoolmen worrying over Aristotle could be pedants; so could cultivated female salonnières in seventeenth-century Paris.—
Clare Bucknell,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
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The technology intentionally comes lacking a human face, and its evangelists have both over-promised regarding what the tools can do in the short term while worrying people about the long-term societal impacts.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fearing. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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