Cool MateWorried vs You are afraid
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Worried
Top 1,000 (very common)A2adjective
You are afraid
Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Worried
| Worried | You are afraid | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈwʌrid/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈwɜːrid/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //jʊə əˈfreɪd//🇺🇸 //ju ɑːr əˈfreɪd// |
| Meaning | Feeling anxious or concerned about something. | You feel scared. |
| Example | She is worried about her exam results. | She is afraid of the dark. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | - |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | be, feel, look, extremely, fairly, very, about, worried sick | be afraid of, afraid to ask, afraid of heights |
| Antonyms | calm, untroubled, carefree | brave, unafraid, bold |
| Common mistakes | 'Worried of' instead of 'worried about', Confusing 'worried' with 'worriedly' (the adverb form), 'Worry' as a noun instead of using the adjective 'worried' | Mixing with 'scared' which has a similar meaning, Using 'afraid' without a subject, Confusing 'afraid of' with 'afraid for' |
| Usage notes | 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. | Used to express fear about situations or objects. Appropriate in most contexts, but avoid in very informal settings. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: Worried vs You are afraid
What's the difference between Worried and You are afraid?
Worried: Feeling anxious or concerned about something. You are afraid: You feel scared.
Which is more common: Worried and You are afraid?
Worried is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Worried: She is worried about her exam results. You are afraid: She is afraid of the dark.
Can I use Worried and You are afraid interchangeably?
Not always. Worried and You are afraid 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.