Afraid
Adjective
UK
/əˈfreɪd/
US
/əˈfreɪd/
Definition
Feeling fear or worry; or being politely sorry about something.
Example
"She’s afraid of spiders."
"I’m afraid we missed the train—it left five minutes ago."
"He was afraid to tell the truth because he thought people would get angry."
Explanation
Afraid means feeling fear, worry, or nervousness. You can be afraid of many things — like darkness, speaking in public, or losing someone. It capn also mean feeling sorry or unsure, like when you say “I’m afraid I can’t come,” which is a polite way to say no. So it’s used for real fear and also soft refusals.