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1.3afraid forAnxious about the well-being or safety of.
‘William was suddenly afraid for her’
‘All of the court ladies that hadn't fainted were clinging to their partners, mortally afraid for their lives.’
‘People are afraid of the thieves and afraid for their future.’
‘Their victims included a deaf and dumb couple who lost about £160 in the burglary and are now so afraid for their safety they want to move.’
‘Fear has an enormous hold over people; they will do almost anything if they are afraid for themselves or their loved ones.’
‘I was afraid for my eternal salvation all day every day, in every thought and deed.’
‘The reason he had not offered information concerning where he had obtained the drugs was because he was genuinely afraid for his safety if he did so.’
‘Their names have not been disclosed because they are afraid for their lives.’
‘He told police he was too afraid for himself and his family to tell the truth at first.’
‘Sometimes the world seems a dark place; we feel uncertain about the present, and afraid for the future.’
‘My 16-year-old daughter was in the shop and I was afraid for her safety.’
‘His new album, written after a nasty split with his fiancee, is so forlorn that the music press is afraid for his health.’
‘She was afraid for him, and grateful for his presence in the world.’
‘Many people could not understand what I saw in him and were actually afraid for my safety with him, especially my mother.’
‘They're afraid for their life and perhaps something needs to be done.’
‘I doubted my own sanity at times, and was afraid for what it really meant about me and my future.’
‘Moving closer she put her arms around his tense body, afraid for him.’
‘After the attack she suffered pains in her stomach and was afraid for the health of her baby.’
‘If people were desperately afraid for their personal security, there would be exactly such movements.’
‘That mobile phone companies should find themselves weakened just as the sector was about take off makes many afraid for its future stability.’
‘She appeared to be more concerned for the well-being of the other crewmembers than afraid for her own life.’
Phrases
I'm afraid
with clauseUsed to express polite or formal apology or regret.
‘I'm afraid I don't understand’
‘With the amount of money that is being spent on them, this is entirely possible, I'm afraid.’
‘One or two of the author's accounts are not very interesting at all, I'm afraid.’
‘Unfortunately, it's nothing as sensible and well thought out as that I'm afraid.’
‘It's back to lining up to see your diabetic specialist on a regular basis, I'm afraid.’
‘I've never read the book, I'm afraid to say and didn't understand this question at first.’
‘The other players, I'm afraid to say, are a modest team who have absolutely no chance of winning the World Cup.’
‘I know I should start to share the comings and goings of the trip but I need to take another day off, I'm afraid.’
‘Unfortunate timing, I'm afraid, in that it happened to be my wedding anniversary.’
‘Another quiet month I'm afraid, which means too much time spent on here.’
‘But all is not what it seems I'm afraid and she now feels she may have made the move in haste.’
‘You always want more, of course, because it's a numbers game, I'm afraid to say.’
‘This might do in the infants, but I'm afraid by the sixth form we expect something a little more sophisticated.’
‘Those who advocate other methods are again showing their ignorance, I'm afraid.’
‘And I'm afraid that the new leader simply doesn't have the charisma to carry it off.’
‘There doesn't seem to be much joined up thinking on the matter, I'm afraid.’
‘It'll have to be a new one, I'm afraid, or nearly new, and from a proper dealer with a good reputation to protect.’
‘Sparkling wit and scintillating conversation are not likely to be my forté today, I'm afraid.’
‘And I'm afraid that from now on I shall have to turn my hand at the removal of unwanted comments.’
‘This non-stop preoccupation with health matters is terribly boring, I'm afraid.’
‘After having surgery on a knee injury, I'm afraid to say that's my season over with.’
sorry, sad, distressed, regretful, apologetic, unhappy, remorseful, rueful