# fearful

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈfɪə(ɹ)fəl/ · frequency rank #13,344

## Definitions
1. Frightening; causing fear.
2. Tending to fear; timid.
3. Terrible; shockingly bad.
4. Frightened; filled with terror.

## Etymology
From Middle English ferful, fervol, equivalent to fear + -ful.

## Common misspellings (10)
`efarful`, `faerful`, `feafrul`, `fearfful`, `fearflu`, `fearfull`, `fearrful`, `fearufl`, `feraful`, `ffearful`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/fearful