scared or afraid

Meanings

1. 1phrasefixed phrase

   Used to compare two words that both mean feeling fear, and to ask which one fits a sentence.

   Grammar: This is a question-style phrase, not used inside a sentence; the answer is usually 'scared' for everyday speech and 'afraid' for a slightly more formal tone.

   Patterns

   • be scared of something
   • be afraid of something
   • be scared to do something
   • be afraid to do something

   Many learners ask whether they should say 'scared or afraid' before a test.

   In 'I'm scared or afraid of dogs', only one word should be kept: 'I'm scared of dogs' or 'I'm afraid of dogs'.

   The teacher explained the difference between 'scared' and 'afraid' with two simple examples.

2. 2adjectivenot comparable

   Feeling fear or worry; 'scared' is the everyday word, 'afraid' is slightly more formal.

   Grammar: Both are used after linking verbs like 'be', 'feel', 'seem'; they are not usually placed before a noun. Say 'The child was scared', not 'the scared child' in most contexts (though 'a scared child' is possible when describing a look or expression).

   Patterns

   • be scared of someone/something
   • be afraid of someone/something
   • be scared to do something
   • be afraid that ...

   She was scared of the dark when she was little.

   He felt afraid before his first driving lesson.

   The dog seemed scared, so we spoke to it softly.

Common combinations

scared of

My brother is scared of spiders.

afraid of

She is afraid of making mistakes in public.

scared to death

I was scared to death during the storm.

afraid that

He was afraid that he would miss the train.

feel scared

Children often feel scared on their first day at school.

be afraid to ask

Don't be afraid to ask for help.

Synonyms and how they differ

frightened

A little more formal than 'scared' and often used in writing; it can also appear before a noun, as in 'a frightened animal'.

terrified

Much stronger than 'scared' or 'afraid'; it means extremely frightened.

fearful

More literary or formal, and often suggests worry about what may happen rather than immediate fear.

Opposites

Word family

scare verb

To make someone feel fear.

scary adjective

Causing fear; informal and common in speech.

fear noun

The feeling you have when you are afraid.

Commonly confused: scared or afraid or scared? scared or afraid or afraid?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “scared or afraid”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words