afraid

afraidadjective

American /əˈfreɪd/ British /əˈfreɪd/

comparative with more

very commondefining vocabulary

frightenedfeeling fear because of a person, animal, or thing that might harm you
predicative only [pred] comparative with more [more]
- Kim is afraid of dogs. (afraid of something)
- Don't be afraid; the doctor is very gentle.
- The children were too afraid to move. (too afraid to do something)
- I've always been a little afraid of the dark.
Collocations
adjective + preposition afraid of something, afraid of someone
adverb + adjective very afraid, really afraid, a little afraid, too afraid, terribly afraid
phrase afraid of the dark, afraid of heights, nothing to be afraid of
Synonyms scared (scared is the everyday word in speech); frightened (frightened can also come before a noun: a frightened child)
Compare terrified (terrified is much stronger); fear
worriedworried that something bad will happen, or that you will upset someone, so that you do not want to do something
predicative only [pred] comparative with more [more]
- He was afraid to ask for help. (afraid to do something)
- I'm afraid of making the same mistake again. (afraid of doing something)
- She was afraid that the news would upset her mother. (afraid that)
- We were afraid for the children's safety. (afraid for someone: worried about their safety)
Collocations
phrase afraid to do something, afraid of doing something, afraid that, afraid of losing something
adjective + preposition afraid for someone
Synonyms worried
Compare anxious (anxious is a lasting, general worry)

Phrases

I'm afraid polite

used to say politely that something is true when the listener will not like it

I'm afraid softens bad news, a refusal, or a disagreement, and does not mean that the speaker feels fear. It can stand alone as a reply: I'm afraid so (yes, unfortunately) and I'm afraid not (no, unfortunately).

I'm afraid the doctor is busy right now.
Is it too late to change the booking? I'm afraid so.
I'm afraid I can't agree with you there.

For translators (phrase)

Meaning across languages A formula of regret, not of fear: translate it with the polite phrase for giving unwelcome news in the target language.

Word family

unafraid

Usage

Afraid, scared, and frightened are close in meaning. Scared is the most common in speech; frightened and scared can both come before a noun (a frightened child, a scared child), but afraid cannot. Only afraid is used in the polite phrase I'm afraid.

Common mistakes

I'm afraid from spiders. I'm afraid of spiders.
The preposition after afraid is of.

an afraid child a frightened child
Afraid is used only after a verb such as be; before a noun use frightened or scared.

I afraid to go out at night. I'm afraid to go out at night.
Afraid is an adjective, not a verb, so it needs be: I am afraid, she was afraid.

For translators

Meaning across languages English has the verb fear, but everyday speech mostly prefers be afraid; many languages use only a verb here, so look for the natural verb form when one exists. The polite phrase I'm afraid carries no fear at all and needs a formula for regret.

Grammar trap Afraid is followed by of plus a noun or an -ing form, by to plus a verb, or by a that-clause: afraid of dogs, afraid of falling, afraid to ask, afraid that it will rain. It needs be, and never comes before a noun.

Pronunciation trap The stress is on the second syllable; the first vowel is weak, like the a of about.