afraid of falling

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "afraid of falling" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when expressing fear or anxiety about the possibility of falling, either literally or metaphorically. Example: "She stood at the edge of the cliff, afraid of falling into the abyss below."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Afraid of falling.

The New Yorker

"They are afraid of falling back now".

The New York Times

"But like all communities, they are afraid of falling behind.

The New York Times

This has been a nasty winter for those of us afraid of falling.

The New York Times

It's awkward rather than explosive — dancers afraid of falling, rather than heavenly bodies crashing.

The New York Times - Arts

But are they afraid of falling into the trap of obvious cliches, or misrepresenting the city?

The Guardian - TV & Radio

He was afraid of falling, he said, his vowels still marked by his Bronx childhood: fawling.

The New Yorker

In consequence, the Désirés I saw were so afraid of falling that they barely moved a muscle.

The New Yorker

He sometimes felt like Columbus, whose sailors were afraid of falling off the edge of the world.

The Economist

"I'm afraid of falling off because I am so high up in the street," said an only occasionally befuddled Humphrys.

The Guardian

He believes automobiles to be monstrous inventions, clogging and fouling the nation's streets, and he does not fly because he is afraid of falling out of the sky….

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "afraid of falling" in a metaphorical sense, ensure the context clearly establishes the comparison. For example, "The company was afraid of falling behind its competitors." This makes the intended meaning more apparent.

Common error

Avoid using "afraid of falling" in contexts where the fear doesn't logically connect to a potential loss or decline. For instance, saying "He was afraid of falling into success" is illogical because success is generally desired, not feared.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "afraid of falling" functions primarily as a subject complement or adjectival phrase, describing the state or feeling of being fearful of the action of falling. As confirmed by Ludwig, it expresses a direct fear or anxiety.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

30%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Huffington Post

10%

Science Magazine

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "afraid of falling" is a common and grammatically sound way to express fear related to falling, both literally and metaphorically. As shown by Ludwig, it sees frequent use in News & Media, Science, and informal writing. When using the phrase, ensure the context is clear and the fear connects logically to a potential loss or decline. Consider alternatives like "fearful of a tumble" or ""scared of a descent"" for slight variations in meaning or tone. Remember to avoid using it in illogical contexts where the fear doesn't align with the outcome.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fearful of a tumble

Replaces "afraid" with "fearful" and "falling" with "tumble", maintaining a similar literal meaning but with slightly altered vocabulary.

scared of a descent

Uses "scared" instead of "afraid" and "descent" to imply a drop or fall. The change focuses on the action of descending rather than the act of falling.

anxious about plummeting

Shifts the focus to the anxiety associated with a rapid descent or fall, using more dramatic vocabulary.

terrified of toppling

Emphasizes a strong fear (terror) of losing balance and falling over. Intensifies the emotional aspect.

apprehensive of losing balance

Highlights the concern about losing stability, which could lead to a fall. Focuses more on the instability aspect.

worried about stumbling

Focuses on the worry associated with the possibility of stumbling, which can lead to a fall. Emphasizes the anticipatory anxiety.

concerned about tripping

Refers specifically to the fear of tripping, a common cause of falls. Narrows the scope to a specific type of falling.

uneasy about collapsing

Suggests a feeling of discomfort or anxiety related to the possibility of collapsing, which implies a sudden fall. Highlights the unexpected nature of the fall.

hesitant to ascend

Expresses reluctance to climb or go higher due to a fear of falling. Focuses on avoidance of situations that could lead to a fall.

reluctant to climb

Focuses on the reluctance or unwillingness to climb due to the fear of falling. Highlights the avoidance behavior.

FAQs

How can I use "afraid of falling" in a sentence?

You can use "afraid of falling" to describe a literal fear, as in "She was "afraid of falling" from the cliff". You can also use it metaphorically, for example, "The business was "afraid of falling" behind its competitors".

What's a good alternative to "afraid of falling"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "fearful of tumbling" or "scared of a descent" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it correct to say "scared from falling" instead of "afraid of falling"?

While "scared" and "afraid" are often interchangeable, "scared from falling" is less common. "Afraid of falling" and "Scared of falling" are both grammatically correct and widely accepted.

What does it mean to be "afraid of falling" metaphorically?

Metaphorically, being "afraid of falling" can represent a fear of losing status, success, or stability. It implies a concern about declining from a current position or state.