1
: filled with fear or apprehension
afraid of machines
was afraid for his job
2
: filled with concern or regret over an unwanted situation
I'm afraid I won't be able to go.
3
: having a dislike for something
She's not afraid of hard work. [=she's not unwilling to work hard]
Examples of afraid in a Sentence
Melissa is afraid of flying, so she takes a train from Boston to visit her brother in Chicago.
Recent Examples on the Web
In that moment, McConaughey exemplified a leader who isn’t afraid to embrace vulnerability—a trait that can foster trust and authenticity in any leadership role.
—
Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
This person spoke anonymously, afraid of reprisal for talking about the system.
—Carrie Johnson, NPR, 1 Mar. 2025
Don’t be afraid to geek out: The happiest people don’t play it cool.
—Jessica Weiss, Contributor, CNBC, 1 Mar. 2025
Some were afraid of encounters with ICE and sought advice on what to do legally if that happens.
—Stephen Hobbs, Sacramento Bee, 27 Feb. 2025
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Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
This person spoke anonymously, afraid of reprisal for talking about the system.
—Carrie Johnson, NPR, 1 Mar. 2025
Don’t be afraid to geek out: The happiest people don’t play it cool.
—Jessica Weiss, Contributor, CNBC, 1 Mar. 2025
Some were afraid of encounters with ICE and sought advice on what to do legally if that happens.
—Stephen Hobbs, Sacramento Bee, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for afraid
Cite this Entry
“Afraid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/afraid. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
afraid
adjective
ə-ˈfrād 
Southern also -ˈfre(ə)d
1
: filled with fear or dread
afraid of snakes
2
: filled with concern or regret
afraid she might be late
3
: having a dislike for something
not afraid to work hard
Etymology
Middle English affraied "filled with fear," from affraien "to frighten," from early French affraier, effreer "to frighten" — related to fray entry 1
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