Fearful

Fearful is an adjective that describes someone who experiences fear or is easily frightened, or something that arouses fear. It can describe an emotional state (fearful after hearing noises) or a characteristic (a fearful person).

In psychology, fearful temperament refers to a subset of temperamental traits characterized by wariness, heightened vigilance, and avoidance of novelty. This is often observed in early childhood and can be associated with later anxiety disorders; however, many fearful individuals do not develop clinical anxiety.

Clinical relevance: Fearful symptoms appear in various disorders such as specific phobias, social anxiety disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder, as well as post-traumatic reactions. Treatment approaches include cognitive-behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, and stress-management techniques. Addressing fear often involves distinguishing realistic fear from excessive or unfounded fear.

Etymology and usage: Derived from fear + -ful, from Old English faer. In literature, fearful can be used idiomatically to describe solemn or alarming situations, such as a fearful silence or a fearful omen; it may carry nuance of dread rather than mere fear.