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apprehensive

apprehensive

36 5.0
Feeling worried that something bad will happen
  • adjective
  • /ˌæprɪˈhɛnsɪv/
translation icon : preocupado
  • She was still apprehensive but she started to come around a little bit.
  • feel apprehensive
  • apprehensive about the future
  • reason to be apprehensive

Up until that point, a lot of military people were pretty apprehensive about this new equipment.

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Examples

  • When the first day of school came, Romy was apprehensive, scared to be found out.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • She was apprehensive when her boss called her into the office for an unexpected meeting.

  • Up until that point, a lot of military people were pretty apprehensive about this new equipment.

  • About half of them had already left, and others were looking as apprehensive as I felt.

    Academic text (2003)
  • Although some were initially apprehensive, the students took on the challenge of this program.

    Academic text (1992)
  • So they were somewhat apprehensive about that.

  • I know I was apprehensive.

  • Then why are you so apprehensive?

  • The pre-departure phase of students returning home often finds the students apprehensive about leaving the new community.

    Academic text (1992)
  • Colombia's deterioration has made its neighbors apprehensive and spread serious concern as far as the United States.

    Academic text (1999)

Synonyms

afraid
vsapprehensive
1.0

Feeling fear or worry about something

is more about expecting a bad event rather than general reluctance
scared
vsapprehensive
1.0

Feeling afraid because you think something bad might happen

is less sudden and more about expecting future harm rather than immediate fear
worried
vsapprehensive
1.0

Feeling nervous or upset about something that may go wrong

is more about expecting a bad or unpleasant event
anxious
vsapprehensive
201 2.7

Feeling worried or nervous about something that might happen

is more focused on fear that something bad will happen
fearful
vsapprehensive
143 1.3

Feeling afraid or nervous and easily frightened

is milder and focuses on expecting a bad event rather than immediate fear
wary
vsapprehensive
110 3.6

Careful because you do not trust someone or something

is an internal anxious expectation of something bad rather than a cautious action
uneasy
vsapprehensive
98 3.2

You feel worried and not relaxed

is more about expecting something bad rather than general discomfort
hesitant
vsapprehensive
73 3.2

Slow to act or speak because you feel unsure

is more about fear of a bad outcome rather than mere slow action
frightened
vsapprehensive
3 1.0

Being afraid because something seems dangerous

is more about a worried expectation of harm rather than sudden alarm

Antonyms

735 1.0

Not showing strong feelings and being very still

715 2.5

Feeling sure about yourself or what will happen

1 2.3

Someone who feels calm and not upset about problems

How Anxious

terrified
263 2.1
fearful
143 1.3
anxious
201 2.7
worried
1.0
apprehensive
36 5.0
uneasy
98 3.2
calm
735 1.0

Surface Forms

apprehensive positive
apprehensiver comparative
apprehensivest superlative

Morphology

apprehensive = apprehend (opaque) = apprehend + ive

The modern adjective 'apprehensive' meaning 'anxious' does not follow transparently from the literal meanings of 'apprehend' for most learners; the sense has shifted historically.

Etymology

Apprehensive comes from Latin parts ad- 'to' and prehend 'to grasp', the same root as in comprehend 'to understand' and the English word 'grasp'. If you 'grasp' a possible danger in your mind you feel uneasy about it, so apprehensive means anxious or fearful about what might happen.