Cool MateAfraid vs He's shitting bricks vs Worried
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Afraid
He's shitting bricks
Worried
| Afraid | He's shitting bricks | Worried | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/əˈfreɪd/"]/🇺🇸 /["/əˈfreɪd/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ʃɪtɪŋ brɪks//🇺🇸 //ʃɪtɪŋ brɪks// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈwʌrid/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈwɜːrid/"]/ |
| Meaning | feeling fear or worry about something | He's very worried or scared. | Feeling anxious or concerned about something. |
| Example | She is afraid of the dark. | When he realized the exam was today, he started shitting bricks. | She is worried about her exam results. |
| Register | Neutral | Slang | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Beyond 10,000 (less common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | - | A2 |
| Part of speech | adjective | adjective | |
| Collocations | be, feel, look, extremely, rather, very, for, of, nothing to be afraid of, be, feel, look, extremely, rather, very, for, of, nothing to be afraid of, be, feel, look, extremely, rather, very, for, of, nothing to be afraid of | shitting bricks with fear, shitting bricks about something, shitting bricks over a test | be, feel, look, extremely, fairly, very, about, worried sick |
| Antonyms | brave, confident | - | calm, untroubled, carefree |
| Common mistakes | Confusing 'afraid of' with 'scared of' - they can be similar, but use 'afraid' for more serious fears., Using 'afraid' with a direct object, e.g., saying 'I am afraid the dog' instead of 'I am afraid of the dog.', Mixing up between 'afraid' and 'afraid to' - remember 'afraid to' is followed by a verb. | Confused with the literal meaning of bricks., Used in formal settings where it's inappropriate., Not used correctly in similar phrases like 'he's cracking up'. | 'Worried of' instead of 'worried about', Confusing 'worried' with 'worriedly' (the adverb form), 'Worry' as a noun instead of using the adjective 'worried' |
| Usage notes | Used when you talk about fear of specific things or situations. It's appropriate in most contexts, but can be too emotional for formal situations. | Used informally to express extreme anxiety. Not suitable for formal contexts or written communication. | Use 'worried' in situations of concern or anxiety. It's suitable for both casual and more serious contexts. Avoid using it in overly formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: Afraid vs He's shitting bricks vs Worried
What's the difference between Afraid, He's shitting bricks, and Worried?
Afraid: feeling fear or worry about something He's shitting bricks: He's very worried or scared. Worried: Feeling anxious or concerned about something.
Which is more common: Afraid, He's shitting bricks, and Worried?
Worried is the most common in everyday English.
Which is more advanced: Afraid, He's shitting bricks, and Worried?
Worried is the highest level, at A2, on the CEFR scale.
Can you show an example of each?
Afraid: She is afraid of the dark. He's shitting bricks: When he realized the exam was today, he started shitting bricks. Worried: She is worried about her exam results.
Can I use Afraid, He's shitting bricks, and Worried interchangeably?
Not always. Afraid, He's shitting bricks, and Worried are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.