afraid
gb/əfɹˈeɪd/ us/əfɹˈeɪd/
A2
English
~ 1700
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A2
state
1
feeling fear or worry
Feeling scared or worried about something.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is afraid of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'afraid of' with 'afraid to'. Use 'afraid of' for nouns and gerunds (afraid of spiders), and 'afraid to' for verbs (afraid to speak).
Synonyms
scared (More informal and often used in everyday conversation.)
|
fearful (Slightly more formal or literary in tone.)
Antonyms
brave (Shows courage instead of fear in the face of danger.)
|
confident (Shows certainty and lack of fear or doubt.)
Collocations
afraid of the dark
|afraid to ask
|afraid of heights
|afraid for his life
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She is afraid of flying.
- I'm afraid to tell him the truth.
- He looked afraid when he heard the noise.
- The child was afraid of the big dog.
Learner examples
- I am afraid of snakes.
- He is afraid to swim in the sea.
- She is afraid of loud sounds.
- They are afraid to go outside at night.
adjective
B1
action
2
politely expressing regret
Used to say something politely when giving bad news or a negative answer.
Usage pattern:
I'm afraid (that) [clause]
Common mistake:
Learners may take 'I'm afraid' literally as fear; here it signals polite regret, not actual fear.
Synonyms
sorry (Expresses regret but can be more personal or apologetic than 'afraid' in this context.)
Antonyms
glad (Expresses positive news or happiness instead of regret.)
Collocations
I'm afraid not
|I'm afraid so
|I'm afraid that's impossible
Themes
communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I'm afraid we can't help you today.
- I'm afraid you're mistaken.
- I'm afraid that seat is taken.
Learner examples
- I'm afraid we are closed now.
- I'm afraid I can't come tomorrow.
- I'm afraid you have the wrong number.
Grammar
Dictionary form
afraid
IPA
GB/əfɹˈeɪd/
US/əfɹˈeɪd/
Syllables & stress
afraid (1 syllable)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: afraid
Word family
Expressions
afraid of one's own shadow
1/əfɹˈeɪd əv wˈʌnz ˈoʊn ʃˈædoʊ/
idiom
informal
easily frightened by anything
Very easily scared, even by small or harmless things.
Examples
- He's so nervous he's afraid of his own shadow.
- After the accident, she was afraid of her own shadow.
be afraid for [someone/something]
1/bˈi əfɹˈeɪd fɚ sˈoʊmˈoʊnsəmˈɛθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
worried for someone's safety
Feeling worried about someone’s safety or health.
Examples
- I was afraid for my family during the storm.
- She was afraid for her friend's health.
not afraid to [do something]
1/nˈɑt əfɹˈeɪd tə dˈu sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
willing despite risk or difficulty
Ready to do something even if it is hard or dangerous.
Examples
- She is not afraid to speak her mind.
- He’s not afraid to try new things.