keep it afraid

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "keep it afraid" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to express a desire to maintain a state of fear or apprehension, but the wording is awkward and unclear. Example: "I don't want to keep it afraid; I want to encourage confidence instead."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

I wasn't given this gift of love to hoard it and scramble with blistered fingers to keep it, afraid, always, of losing it.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

I needed to keep it wrapped up tight, afraid of what might happen if I let go and allowed the tears.

Huffington Post

"I was sometimes afraid to keep it here at the house," Paul Warhola said.

The New York Times

I was too afraid to keep it in our house, so I came up with the ingenious idea of tearing off the covers, reading it in a public park in Tehran and then burying it at a certain spot until I was finished reading it.

The New York Times

The kitchen's not afraid to keep it simple: The two best desserts are fresh fruit with mint and thick yogurt drizzled with honey and studded with walnuts.

Forbes

Don't be afraid to keep it real.

Huffington Post

"For many children, it was impossible to give them a violin to take home because they had nowhere to keep it and their parents were afraid they would be robbed or the instrument would be sold to buy drugs". Making instruments out of other materials, especially for beginning children is not so unusual.

Los Angeles Times

Don't be afraid to gossip, keep it appropriate.

WikiHow

He's a self-help hero who is not afraid to talk straight, keep it real, and be true to himself.

The Guardian - Sport

Only on October 15th did the telecoms regulator award licences, to all three bidders.Some Algerians think the government took so long to keep its promise because it is afraid of letting its predominantly youthful citizens have easier access to the internet.

The Economist

The Kim regime keeps its people afraid by constantly blaming the United States for its situation, especially sanctions for its economic plight.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming to convey that something maintains a state of fear, consider using more grammatically sound alternatives such as "keep it fearful" or focusing on the action causing fear, like "keep it frightening."

Common error

Avoid using the phrase "keep it afraid" in formal writing. It sounds unnatural and can confuse your readers. Opt for clearer alternatives like "maintain a sense of fear" or "keep the atmosphere tense."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "keep it afraid" functions as a directive, though awkwardly phrased. Ludwig AI indicates the phrase is not correct, highlighting its deviation from standard English grammar. It seems to attempt to express the idea of maintaining a fearful state.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Wiki

20%

Science

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

11%

Reference

7%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "keep it afraid" is grammatically questionable and not considered standard English, as Ludwig AI explains. While it might be used informally to suggest maintaining a state of fear, it's advisable to use clearer and more grammatically correct alternatives such as "keep it fearful" or rephrasing to focus on the cause of fear. Its usage is rare and primarily found in informal contexts, making it unsuitable for formal or professional communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

keep them fearful

Substitutes "afraid" with "fearful", which is a more grammatically sound adjective in this context.

sustain the fear

Uses "sustain" to replace "keep" and directly uses "fear" instead of "afraid", emphasizing the continuation of fear.

maintain apprehension

Replaces "keep" with "maintain" and "afraid" with the more formal "apprehension", focusing on sustaining a feeling of unease.

keep it scary

Replaces "afraid" with "scary", focusing on the characteristic of causing fear.

ensure continued fear

Emphasizes the assurance of fear's continuation using different wording.

prevent from gaining courage

Shifts the focus to preventing the development of courage rather than maintaining fear.

preserve the trepidation

Uses "preserve" instead of "keep" and "trepidation" instead of "afraid", giving a more formal tone.

maintain a climate of fear

Focuses on creating and sustaining an atmosphere dominated by fear.

keep it in terror

Replaces "afraid" with "in terror", intensifying the degree of fear.

keep the fright alive

Uses a more figurative expression, focusing on maintaining a sense of fright or shock.

FAQs

Is "keep it afraid" grammatically correct?

No, "keep it afraid" is not grammatically correct. It's better to use phrases like "keep it fearful" or focus on what is causing the fear.

What does "keep it afraid" mean?

The phrase "keep it afraid" is not standard English. It may be intended to mean maintaining a state of fear, but the wording is awkward. More appropriate phrasing would be "maintain the fear".

How can I rephrase "keep it afraid" to sound more natural?

You can rephrase "keep it afraid" using alternatives such as "sustain the fear", "keep it scary", or "maintain apprehension" depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use a phrase like "keep it afraid"?

Given that "keep it afraid" is not grammatically correct, it is generally not appropriate in formal writing. If aiming for informal or creative writing, ensure the context makes the intended meaning clear; however, it's generally better to use more standard phrases.