fearful meaning and definition

FEARFUL adjective

Definition of fearful (adjective)

1. experiencing or showing fear
   • "a fearful glance"; "fearful of criticism"
2. causing fear or dread or terror
   • "the awful war"; "an awful risk"; "dire news"; "a career or vengeance so direful that London was shocked"; "the dread presence of the headmaster"; "polio is no longer the dreaded disease it once was"; "a dreadful storm"; "a fearful howling"; "horrendous explosions shook the city"; "a terrible curse"
   • synonyms: awful, dire, direful, dread, dreaded, dreadful, fearsome, frightening, horrendous, horrific, terrible
3. lacking courage; ignobly timid and faint-hearted
   • "cowardly dogs, ye will not aid me then"- P.B.Shelley
   • synonyms: cowardly
   • antonym: brave
4. extremely distressing
   • "fearful slum conditions"; "a frightful mistake"
   • synonyms: frightful
5. timid by nature or revealing timidity
   • "timorous little mouse"; "in a timorous tone"; "cast fearful glances at the large dog"
   • synonyms: timorous, trepid