I was feared

USAGE SUMMARY

"I was feared" is not grammatically correct.
The correct form would be "I was afraid" or "I was fearful". Example sentence: I was fearful of the dark when I was a child.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

My whole life I was feared, and it is not a pleasant feeling.

The New York Times

A nonthreatening image would hardly be an asset to a hockey enforcer — I could only be effective if I was feared," James wrote in the book, published by ECW Press.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

"If I was fearing for our safety, then Bruno was definitely fearing for his".

The New Yorker

"I know what happened to Kim, but I was fearing major medical," Corean said.

The New Yorker

"I was fearing the worst and that I would get whitewashed," Jones told BBC Wales Sport.

BBC

City midfielder Gareth Barry said: "I was fearing the worst with five minutes to go.

BBC

"I was fearing to die.

Los Angeles Times

I'm fearing for my life.

Huffington Post

"I'm fearing the worst," Mindy Velasco said, her voice breaking.

Los Angeles Times

"I'm fearing the worst," her aunt said, her voice breaking.

Los Angeles Times

I am fear being killed.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a situation where you caused fear, consider using active voice constructions like "I instilled fear" or "I inspired fear" for greater clarity and impact.

Common error

Avoid using the passive construction "I was feared" as it's grammatically awkward. Instead, use active constructions such as "I instilled fear" or rephrase to clarify who was experiencing the fear.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I was feared" functions as a passive construction aiming to describe how others perceived the speaker. However, as Ludwig AI points out, this is grammatically incorrect. Instead, active constructions should be preferred.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while "I was feared" attempts to express that the speaker inspired fear in others, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. It's a rare construction, primarily found in narrative contexts. To effectively communicate this idea, consider using active voice alternatives such as "I instilled fear" or "people feared me". These alternatives provide clearer and more grammatically sound ways to convey the intended meaning. Given its grammatical issues, avoid using "I was feared" in formal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I was terrifying

Changes from passive to active voice, emphasizing the subject's ability to instill fear.

I inspired fear

Emphasizes the subject's role in causing fear in others, using a more direct verb.

I was regarded with fear

Rephrases to highlight the feeling of fear directed towards the subject.

I evoked fear

Uses a more formal verb to describe the action of causing fear.

I was dreaded

Focuses on the anticipation of fear or aversion related to the subject.

I instilled fear

Highlights the act of implanting fear in others.

People feared me

Changes the sentence structure to emphasize the actions of others fearing the speaker.

I was intimidating

Describes a quality of the subject that makes others feel fear or apprehension.

I was a figure of fear

Rephrases to describe the subject as an embodiment of fear.

I was scary

Uses a more colloquial term to express the feeling of causing fear.

FAQs

What's a grammatically correct alternative to "I was feared"?

While "I was feared" isn't standard English, you can use phrases like "I inspired fear" or "people feared me" to convey a similar meaning.

How can I express that people were afraid of me in a sentence?

Instead of "I was feared", try "I inspired fear", which accurately communicates that your actions or presence caused fear in others.

Is there a single word to replace the concept of "I was feared"?

Consider using adjectives like "intimidating" or "terrifying". For example, "I was an "intimidating" figure" or "I found myself "terrifying".

Which is the most effective way to communicate that I caused fear in others?

The best way to communicate that you caused fear in others is by using a construction where you are the subject instilling fear. Examples include "I instilled fear" or "I evoked fear".