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afraid of vs afraid to

Both 'afraid of' and 'afraid to' are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'Afraid of' is used to express fear or anxiety about something specific, while 'afraid to' is used to indicate reluctance or hesitation to do something.

Last updated: March 29, 2024 • 1006 views

afraid of

Correct. 'Afraid of' is used to express fear or anxiety about something specific.

Use 'afraid of' when you want to talk about the fear or anxiety related to a particular thing or situation.

Examples:

  • She is afraid of spiders.
  • He is afraid of heights.
  • I am afraid of failing.
  • They are afraid of the dark.
  • The child is afraid of dogs.
  • Jun 26, 2015 ... Why I'm Afraid of Therapy. By Hanya Yanagihara. June 26, 2015.
  • Jul 24, 2019 ... Rirkrit Tiravanija: (who's afraid of red, yellow, and green) was the Hirshhorn's first-ever exhibition of works by contemporary Thai artist Rirkrit Tiravanija.
  • Apr 26, 2016 ... I'm Chronically Ill and Afraid of Being Lazy. "In a society that holds productivity as unequivocally good, to do less feels like a moral failing ...
  • Apr 19, 2024 ... Watch the official lyric video for “Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?” by Taylor Swift, from 'THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT' ...
  • Oct 3, 2024 ... Juilliard Drama Presents "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" · Stephanie P. McClelland Theater · The Juilliard School, 155 W. 65th St., New York, NY ...
  • Donald Trump is now afraid of debating Kamala Harris — and not just because he knows she's a skilled debater. He's scared because he can't run away from...
  • Oct 1, 2024 ... Sharks, clowns, public speaking—do you know what Americans are really afraid of? According to the researchers on the Chapman University ...
  • Nov 1, 2024 ... 159K likes, 1957 comments - kamalaharris on November 1, 2024: "I am not afraid of tough fights against bad actors and powerful interests.
  • Oct 22, 2024 ... Never be afraid of seeing what's possible !!! · 󱘫. Top fan. Aqua Lee · DJ-Uwe. The possibilities are constantly evolving. Never be afraid to use ...
  • For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people. The Voice of America ...

Alternatives:

  • scared of
  • terrified of
  • frightened of
  • worried about

afraid to

Correct. 'Afraid to' is used to indicate reluctance or hesitation to do something.

Use 'afraid to' when you want to express fear or reluctance to take a specific action.

Examples:

  • She is afraid to speak in public.
  • He is afraid to ask for help.
  • I am afraid to confront him.
  • They are afraid to try new things.
  • The child is afraid to go to the dentist.
  • Someone strong and not afraid to express emotions.
  • A lot of Dwarves are afraid to show their true feelings.
  • Not afraid to show his wealth.
  • I think our little prom queen is too afraid to disclose.
  • I remember the times I was afraid to come into the house.
  • The cat wasn't afraid to die...
  • I'm always afraid to come in by myself.
  • Papa would like to understand why we're not afraid to fly.
  • I'm not afraid to declare my feelings.
  • Sometimes I'm afraid to build the walls...
  • You are just another weak human afraid to face death.
  • Neech wasn't afraid to die.
  • We're all afraid to die, Xena.
  • Just don't be afraid to speak up when it happens.
  • Maybe she's afraid to show her feelings.
  • People keeping quiet, afraid to speak up.
  • Everything they're afraid to show us in school.
  • I was afraid to touch the death seen in her.
  • You are afraid to tell the truth.
  • He said you weren't afraid to speak the truth.

Alternatives:

  • reluctant to
  • hesitant to
  • scared to
  • unwilling to

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