fear fɪə (fee-uhr) noun noun: fear; plural noun: fears 1. an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm. Synonyms: terror, fright, fearfulness, horror, alarm, panic, agitation, trepidation, dread, consternation, dismay, distress; anxiety, worry, angst, unease Antonym: indifference Verb: fear; 3rd person present: fears; past tense: feared; past participle: feared 1. be afraid of (someone or something) as likely to be dangerous, painful, or harmful. Acronyms 1. Fear Everything And Run; to be a coward 2. Face Everything And Rise; to be brave Origin Old English fǣr 'calamity, danger', fǣran 'frighten', also 'revere', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch gevaar and German Gefahr 'danger'.