Fearful

/ˈfɪə(ɹ)fəl/ · adjective

Meaning

Frightening; causing fear..

Definitions by Sense

1. Frightening; causing fear.
2. Tending to fear; timid.
3. (dated) Terrible; shockingly bad.
4. (now rare) Frightened; filled with terror.
5. (dialectal) Extremely; fearfully.

Example Sentences

Sirs, stop their mouths, let them not speak to me, But let them hear what fearful words I utter.

In the later Hebrew midrash Lilith is presented as the woman who knows how to recite the fearful name of God to work calamity; that this little girl cries out the fearful name of the sun god and thereby causes an earthquake would indicate that this girl is linked in the structure of the myth with Lilith.

a fearful boy

But every day after dinner, for an hour, we were all together, and then the Favourite and the rest of the Royal Hareem competed who should most beguile the leisure of the Serene Haroun reposing from the cares of State — which were generally, as in most affairs of State, of an arithmetical character, the Commander of the Faithful being a fearful boggler at a sum.

"What an awful infliction for you, Max. You were always such an impulsive, reckless sort of fellow—never quiet. You must miss such a fearful lot."

kings ſhall crouch vnto our conquering ſwords, And hoſtes of Souldiers ſtand amazd at vs, When with their fearfull tongues they ſhall confeſſe Theſe are the men that al the world admires,

Those two great champions did attonce pursew / The fearefull damzell with incessant payns […]

“He is fearful handsome, as you know,” she said remorsefully, “you cannot imagine, Georgiana, the joy when I first fell in love with him.”

Synonyms for fearful

Antonyms for fearful

Related Words

Word Forms

• more fearful
• most fearful
• fearefull
• fearfull

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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