1
as in fear
an uneasy state of mind usually over the possibility of an anticipated misfortune or trouble
her apprehensiveness about starting college is keeping her awake at night
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dread
suspicion or fear of future harm or misfortune
my apprehensiveness about raw fish disagreeing with me is keeping me from even trying sushi
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apprehensiveness
Noun
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Concerns of fear growing in migrant communities Mora said this issue runs deep for him and others who work in immigration law.—
Noe Padilla,
IndyStar,
23 July 2025 -
Claims included being penalized for taking medical leave, instances of racial microaggressions and fear of retribution for raising complaints.—
Skyler Caruso,
People.com,
22 July 2025
Noun
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Anyone who has broken in a pair of sandals knows the dread of a blister after a day of walking, but that’s not an issue with this pair.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
People.com,
16 July 2025
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As the anniversary of Will’s disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
16 July 2025
Noun
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Privacy and security concerns with smart thermostats These programs also raise important data privacy concerns.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
14 July 2025
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The report found that concerns were often handled informally without adequate record-keeping, and that freelance staff felt reluctant to complain due to job insecurity.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
14 July 2025
Noun
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This is the current situation: Certainly, a trend of appreciating precious metals is at work, but there is also the theme of ‘strategic and critical metals’ anxiety pushing platinum.—
Clem Chambers,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
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This can cause unnecessary anxiety and concern for the dog.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 July 2025
Noun
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The details for Alphabet will be necessary, as the stock has been held back by worries that artificial intelligence (AI) will disrupt their search business.—
Bill Stone,
Forbes.com,
20 July 2025
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Optimism about the power of technology and innovation was mixed with worries about geopolitics and the state of civil society.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
18 July 2025
Noun
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Other countries were still expressing unease, however.—
Brit Morse,
Fortune,
6 July 2025
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But progress on this front has been slow, most likely due to China’s increasing unease with Iranian foreign policy and doubts about its long-term stability.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
22 June 2025
Noun
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Some of our most important protections have been implemented while acknowledging scientific uncertainty.—
David Michaels,
The Atlantic,
20 July 2025
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The QAnon movement continues to evolve, even as its central figure hedges and hesitates, showing how potent myths can be in times of uncertainty.—
Art Jipson,
The Conversation,
19 July 2025
Noun
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What began with her apprehension about how the kitten would adapt quickly turned into a delightful surprise.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
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Lawrence Police Department's pursuit policy Indiana's statewide police pursuit policy adopted in 2022 states officers should use their discretion when initiating a pursuit and should not pursue if the risk to public safety greatly outweighs the need for immediate apprehension.—
Jade Jackson,
IndyStar,
2 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Apprehensiveness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apprehensiveness. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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