afraid off

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "afraid off" is not correct in written English.
Instead, you would use "afraid of". For example, "She was afraid of the storm."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

"We also know that hotels have had feedback from guests of different cultures and nationalities saying they were upset by seeing begging and think there are other crimes or underworld activities going on that they should be afraid off".

Independent

The first one is a little heavy, but very helpful: Make a list of everything you are afraid off.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Don't be afraid of "getting off track" or "falling off the bandwagon"; simply be consistent day in and day out.

Huffington Post

I can't help but think they are still afraid of scaring off their younger clientele.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

He was not afraid of showing off his intellect, a most unEnglish characteristic.

The Guardian - Business

"You're always afraid of rolling off your bunk and into the water," he said.

The New York Times

German politicians are historically afraid of touching off inflation with too much deficit spending.

The New York Times

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

The Economist

"That's right, Tot Mom refuses to take the stand, afraid of squaring off against veteran prosecutors," Ms. Grace said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

The New York Times - Arts

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

The Guardian

Never afraid of killing off key characters, Damages has so many twists and switcheroos, as paths cross and corners are turned, that you may feel travel-sick.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "afraid of" instead of "afraid off". The preposition "of" is grammatically correct when expressing fear or apprehension.

Common error

Avoid using "off" after "afraid". "Off" typically indicates separation or removal, whereas "of" correctly links the feeling of fear to its object.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "afraid off" is intended to function as a prepositional phrase, typically used to describe the object or cause of someone's fear. However, Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is grammatically incorrect in standard English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "afraid off" is grammatically incorrect. The correct preposition to use with "afraid" is "of", making "afraid of" the appropriate choice. Ludwig AI confirms this, noting the error in its analysis. Although examples of the incorrect phrase exist, it's crucial to use the correct form, "afraid of", to maintain grammatical accuracy. When expressing fear, remember to connect the emotion to its source using the correct preposition.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

afraid of

Changes the preposition to the correct form, maintaining the same meaning.

scared of

Replaces "afraid" with "scared", a synonym, and uses the correct preposition "of".

terrified of

Uses "terrified" to express a higher degree of fear, keeping "of" as the preposition.

fearful of

Substitutes "afraid" with "fearful", which has a slightly more formal tone, keeping the preposition "of".

frightened by

Shifts the focus to being frightened by something, changing the preposition.

apprehensive about

Replaces "afraid" with "apprehensive", indicating a sense of unease, and uses the preposition "about".

concerned about

Changes the focus to concern rather than fear, using "about" as the preposition.

worried about

Emphasizes worry, using "about" to connect the feeling to a cause.

anxious about

Highlights anxiety related to something, using the preposition "about".

intimidated by

Indicates being made timid or fearful by something or someone.

FAQs

What is the correct preposition to use with "afraid"?

The correct preposition to use with "afraid" is "of". Therefore, the correct phrase is "afraid of".

Is "afraid off" grammatically correct?

No, "afraid off" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "afraid of". For example, "I'm "afraid of the dark"" is correct, while "afraid off the dark" is not.

What are some alternatives to "afraid of"?

Alternatives to "afraid of" include "scared of", "fearful of", "apprehensive about", and "anxious about", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

How do I remember to use "afraid of" instead of "afraid off"?

Think of "afraid of" as expressing a connection or relationship to the thing you fear. The word "of" indicates this relationship, while "off" indicates separation, which doesn't make sense in this context.