"under the fear of" vs "in fear of"

Question

"under the fear of" vs "in fear of"

Both "in fear of" and "under the fear of" are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "In fear of" is more commonly used to express being afraid of something or someone, while "under the fear of" is less common and typically used in legal or formal contexts.

Last Updated: March 27, 2024

Use "under the fear of" in legal or formal contexts to convey the idea of being subject to fear or intimidation. It is not as commonly used as "in fear of."

Alternatives:

under the threat of
under the intimidation of
under the shadow of fear
under the specter of fear
under the cloud of fear

Use "in fear of" to indicate that someone is afraid of something or someone. It is a common expression to convey fear or anxiety.

Examples:

She lived in fear of her abusive ex-husband.
The villagers were in fear of the approaching storm.
He was in fear of losing his job.
The child was in fear of the dark.
The soldiers were in fear of the enemy's retaliation.

Alternatives:

afraid of
scared of
terrified of
frightened of
worried about

Answer 1

under the fear of

This phrase is correct but less commonly used. It is typically found in legal or formal contexts to indicate being subject to fear or intimidation.

Answer 2

in fear of

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to express being afraid of something or someone.

"under the fear of" vs "in fear of"

under the fear of

in fear of

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