Frightened - Scared - Terrified - Alarmed - Paranoid
These words all describe feeling or showing fear.
Afraid (not before a noun) feeling fear; worried that sth bad might happen: There’s nothing to be afraid of. | Aren’t you afraid (that) you’ll fall?.
Frightened feeling fear; worried that sth bad might happen: A frightened child. | She was frightened that the glass would break.
Scared (rather informal) feeling fear; worried that sth bad might happen: The thieves got scared and ran away.
Terrified very frightened: I was terrified (that) she wouldn’t come. | She looked at him with wide, terrified eyes.
Alarmed afraid that sth dangerous or unpleasant might happen: She was alarmed at the prospect of traveling alone.
Paranoid (rather informal) afraid or suspicious of other people and believing that they are trying to harm you, in a way that is not reasonable: You’re just being paranoid.
Afraid, Frightened or Scared?
Scared is more informal, more common in speech, and often describes small fears. Afraid cannot come before a noun. It can only take the preposition of, not about. If you are afraid/frightened/scared of sb/sth doing sth or afraid/frightened/scared to do sth, you think you are in danger of being hurt or suffering in some way. If you are frightened/scared about sth/doing sth, it is less a fear for your personal safety and more a worry that sth unpleasant might happen.
Patterns
*Afraid/frightened/scared of spiders, etc.
*Frightened/scared/paranoid about
*Afraid/frightened/scared/terrified that...
*Afraid/frightened/scared to open the door, etc.
*Don’t be afraid/frightened/scared/alarmed
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Top Tips Abz Ingles - Notes on usage - Synonyms
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