afraid of flying

USAGE SUMMARY

"afraid of flying" is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
You can use it to describe someone who has an intense fear of flying. For example: "Samantha was so afraid of flying that she had never gone on a plane before."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He was afraid of flying.

The New Yorker

People are afraid of flying.

The New York Times - Travel

Yet most people are more afraid of flying than driving.

University of California, Berkeley

Huge numbers of people are afraid of flying.

The Economist

When people are afraid of flying, they drive.

The New York Times - Science

But she is afraid of flying and has refused.

The Guardian

Was Kim Jong-il really afraid of flying?

The Guardian

Afraid of flying, she still managed to accompany our father to six continents.

The New York Times

(Han keeps the van for long trips; he is afraid of flying).

The New Yorker

"He wouldn't get on a plane, because he was afraid of flying.

The Guardian - Film

The old people on 129th Street, afraid of flying bullets, mostly just stayed inside.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about someone's fear of flying, provide context. For instance, mention if it stems from a past experience or a general anxiety disorder.

Common error

Avoid using "afraid of flying" when the person simply dislikes it. "Afraid" suggests a genuine phobia or anxiety, not just a preference.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "afraid of flying" functions primarily as a predicative adjective phrase. It describes the subject's emotional state in relation to the action of flying. Ludwig confirms its standard grammatical usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Academia

25%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Science

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "afraid of flying" is a very common and grammatically correct way to describe a fear related to air travel. It functions as a predicative adjective phrase with a neutral register, frequently appearing in News & Media and academic contexts. Ludwig AI validates its usage and according to the many examples, is used to express feelings and describe the subject's emotional state in relation to air travel. When writing about this topic, be specific in context and intensity of the fear. While you could say "scared of flying", "fearful of flying", or "aviophobia", be careful of intensity of the emotion to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fearful of air travel

Replaces "flying" with the more formal "air travel".

has a fear of flying

Changes the structure to a noun phrase with "fear" as the central element.

scared of being on a plane

Uses "scared" instead of "afraid" and specifies the location as "on a plane".

apprehensive about flying

Substitutes "afraid" with the more formal "apprehensive".

flying makes them anxious

Focuses on the anxiety induced by flying.

uneasy about air travel

Employs "uneasy" to express a mild form of fear or discomfort.

has aviophobia

Uses the formal term for the fear of flying.

terrified of flying

Uses "terrified" instead of "afraid" to indicate a stronger fear.

dreads flying

Uses "dreads" to convey a feeling of great reluctance or fear about flying.

anxious about being airborne

Replaces "flying" with "being airborne" and uses "anxious" to express worry.

FAQs

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

You can use "afraid of flying" to describe someone's fear of being on an airplane. For example, "Despite the business opportunity, she was "afraid of flying" and refused to take the trip".

What are some other ways to say someone is "afraid of flying"?

Alternatives include "fearful of flying", "scared of flying", or having "aviophobia", depending on the context and level of formality.

Is it grammatically correct to say "afraid from flying"?

No, the correct preposition to use with "afraid" in this context is "of". The correct phrase is "afraid of flying", not "afraid from flying".

What is the difference between being "nervous about flying" and "afraid of flying"?

Being "nervous about flying" implies a mild anxiety or unease. Being "afraid of flying" suggests a more intense fear, potentially a phobia. The intensity of the emotion is the key difference.