as in fear
the emotion experienced in the presence or threat of danger
shaking with trepidation, I stepped into the old abandoned house
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Recent Examples of trepidation
As trepidation surrounds high school pitching prospects for a variety of reasons well beyond injuries, a move of this nature would provide the Nationals with signing bonus flexibility while spreading the savings over their remaining nine picks in the first 10 rounds of the draft.
—
Wayne G. McDonnell, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
Acapulco still scarred by Otis Acapulco residents had braced for Erick’s arrival with more preparation and trepidation given the devastation wrought by Hurricane Otis two years earlier.
—Luis Alberto Cruz, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025
Although Thomas is only 26, Schoen may have trepidations about shifting money into the future for a player with his injury history.
—Dan Duggan, New York Times, 21 May 2025
Stuck in the middle of it all, surrounded in each direction by buildings either planned or already raised, diners at the Cuatro Esquinas Restaurant expressed some trepidation about the changes in the neighborhood.
—Cd Goette-Luciak, Miami Herald, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for trepidation
Wayne G. McDonnell, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
Acapulco still scarred by Otis Acapulco residents had braced for Erick’s arrival with more preparation and trepidation given the devastation wrought by Hurricane Otis two years earlier.
—Luis Alberto Cruz, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025
Although Thomas is only 26, Schoen may have trepidations about shifting money into the future for a player with his injury history.
—Dan Duggan, New York Times, 21 May 2025
Stuck in the middle of it all, surrounded in each direction by buildings either planned or already raised, diners at the Cuatro Esquinas Restaurant expressed some trepidation about the changes in the neighborhood.
—Cd Goette-Luciak, Miami Herald, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for trepidation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trepidation
Noun
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My why can be summed up in three things: fear, respect and the pursuit of greatness.—
Rob Maaddi,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Aug. 2025
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Rachel Greer, a realtor, described her homeowner client's fear to leave her front door after learning about Robinson's murder.—
Ariela Lopez,
jsonline.com,
2 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Here are seven alternative activities to try that experts say can be just as effective: Research shows that expressive art therapy, like painting, may help reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety, increase self-esteem, and improve mood by engaging areas of the brain that promote calm.—
Noma Nazish,
Forbes.com,
29 July 2025
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Poor gut health can, in turn, exacerbate feelings of stress and anxiety.—
Ayesha Gulzar,
Verywell Health,
29 July 2025
Noun
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Together with folklore professor Yeom Hae-sang (Oh Jung-se), San-yeong comes to understand both her own grief and the trauma death leaves behind as Revenant embraces the quiet, brooding dread that makes Korean horror genuinely unnerving.—
Geoffrey Bunting,
Time,
1 Aug. 2025
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Tim’s family trauma, while prompting some delightfully repulsive SFX, seems to exist only for that reason, or to give the film an additional whiff of dread.—
Madison Bloom,
Pitchfork,
31 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Trepidation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trepidation. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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