overwhelming fear

USAGE SUMMARY

"overwhelming fear" is a correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It can be used to describe a feeling of intense fear or anxiety. Example: The thought of giving a speech in front of a large audience filled her with overwhelming fear.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Overwhelming excitement in one game turned to overwhelming fear in the next.

The New York Times

Has there been any particular event in the past that the child experienced with overwhelming fear?

Stanford University

You would still have the memory, but not the overwhelming fear attached to it.

The New Yorker

Sadly, some people mistakenly believe that this overwhelming fear is the inevitable and "natural" outcome of cancer.

The New York Times

People had plenty of painful reasons for leaving New York after Sept. 11, among them tragic memories and overwhelming fear.

The New York Times

Or was what he felt a milky cocktail of codependence and guilt, spiked with the overwhelming fear that he would never find anyone better?

The New Yorker

The overwhelming fear in Europe after the second world war was of a third attempt at conquest by a belligerent Germany.

The Economist

No, what I'm talking about, what worried me so much, was the sudden, overwhelming fear that I would reach campus and feel like I'd made the wrong decision.

The New York Times

In "Dreams From My Father," Obama wrote of how shaken he was when he learned of her overwhelming fear of black men on the street.

The New York Times

Such rituals help push away "interfering thoughts," Lotz says, adding, "If I have an overwhelming fear that I cannot rationalize, I discuss it with my therapist".

The New Yorker

To get out and stand there is to be scared, to feel the overwhelming fear of being alone in a coliseum.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "overwhelming fear" to describe situations where the level of fear significantly impacts a person's ability to cope or function normally. It is effective in conveying the intensity of the emotional experience.

Common error

Avoid using "overwhelming fear" to describe everyday anxieties or mild discomfort. Reserve it for situations where the fear is genuinely extreme and debilitating. Using it casually can diminish its impact and credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "overwhelming fear" functions as a noun phrase where "overwhelming" acts as a descriptive adjective intensifying the noun "fear". According to Ludwig AI, this is a correct and commonly used expression to describe an intense feeling. Examples on Ludwig showcase diverse contexts, confirming its function across various types of text.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Academia

10%

Science

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "overwhelming fear" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase to depict a very intense feeling of fear. As Ludwig AI confirms, it accurately conveys a strong emotional state. Predominantly found in news, academic, and scientific contexts, the phrase serves to express the intensity and potential impact of fear. While interchangeable with terms like "intense dread" or "crippling fear", it's crucial to reserve its use for genuinely extreme cases to maintain credibility and impact. Avoid using it for minor anxieties, and note that fear, being uncountable, does not require the article 'a'.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

paralyzing fear

Indicates that the fear causes immobility or inaction.

crippling fear

Highlights the disabling effect of the fear, suggesting it severely limits one's ability to function.

uncontrollable terror

Emphasizes the lack of control over the feeling of terror.

debilitating terror

Substitutes "fear" with "terror" to intensify the emotion, and uses "debilitating" to stress its weakening effect.

severe fright

Uses the word "fright" to capture a sudden and intense experience of fear.

intense dread

Replaces "fear" with "dread" to emphasize a feeling of foreboding and apprehension.

consuming dread

Emphasizes how the dread dominates one's thoughts and feelings.

profound anxiety

Shifts the focus slightly from fear to the underlying anxiety, emphasizing the depth of emotional distress.

acute apprehension

Uses more formal language to convey a sharp and intense feeling of worry.

extreme trepidation

Replaces "fear" with "trepidation" for a more formal and nuanced expression of anxiety and hesitation.

FAQs

How can I effectively use "overwhelming fear" in a sentence?

To effectively use "overwhelming fear", ensure the context clearly supports the intensity of the emotion. For example, "The thought of the impending surgery filled her with "overwhelming fear"", accurately portrays a significant emotional response.

What are some alternatives to "overwhelming fear"?

You can use alternatives such as "intense dread", "crippling fear", or "profound anxiety" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it grammatically correct to say "a overwhelming fear" instead of "overwhelming fear"?

No, it is not grammatically correct. The phrase "overwhelming fear" uses "overwhelming" as an adjective modifying the noun "fear". Since "fear" is an uncountable noun in this context, it does not take the indefinite article "a".

What's the difference between ""overwhelming fear"" and "intense fear"?

While both phrases describe a strong feeling of fear, ""overwhelming fear"" suggests that the fear is so powerful it is difficult to manage or cope with, while "intense fear" simply emphasizes the high degree of fear experienced.