fearful

Compared meaning: causing fear (adjective).

比较义项：令人害怕的、引起恐惧的（形容词）。

• fearful 本词

  In this sense, fearful is more formal and literary than scary, and less common; fearful more often means 'feeling afraid' rather than 'causing fear'.

  在这一义项中，fearful 比 scary 更正式、更书面，也不如 scary 常用；而且 fearful 更常表示“（人）感到害怕的”，而非“引起恐惧的”。

  Reports described a fearful scene of destruction after the earthquake struck the city.

  报道描述了地震袭击这座城市后一片令人恐惧的破坏景象。

• scary

  Scary is the common, everyday word for something that causes fear, used naturally in casual conversation, especially about spooky or frightening things.

  scary 是表示“引起恐惧的”最常用、最口语化的日常用词，常用于随意的对话中，尤其是描述令人毛骨悚然或可怕的事物。

  The dark forest looked scary as night began to fall.

  夜幕降临时，那片黑暗的森林看起来很吓人。

Scary and fearful both mean causing fear here, but style differs. Scary is the common, everyday word for something that causes fear, natural in casual conversation. Fearful is more formal and literary in this sense, and less common; it usually means 'feeling afraid' instead.

这两个词在“引起恐惧”这一义项上意思相近，但语体不同：scary 是日常口语中最常用的词，而 fearful 在表示“引起恐惧”时较为正式、书面化，且更常用来表示“（人）感到害怕的”这一未在此比较的义项。

Compared meaning: feeling fear or afraid (adjective).

比较义项：感到害怕、恐惧（形容词）。

• afraid

  The most common, neutral word for feeling fear; typically followed by 'of' or a to-infinitive, used equally in speech and writing.

  最常见、最中性的表示“害怕”的词，后面常接of或不定式（to do），口语和书面语中都很常用。

  She admitted she was afraid to speak in front of the whole class.

  她承认自己害怕在全班面前讲话。

• scared

  More informal and emotionally stronger than afraid, often describing a sudden or startled fear, especially with children or physical reactions.

  比afraid更口语化，情绪更强烈，常表示突然受到惊吓的感觉，尤其用于描述孩子或身体反应（如尖叫、发抖）。

  The kids screamed, scared by the sudden loud bang.

  孩子们尖叫起来，被突然的巨响吓到了。

• fearful 本词

  More formal and literary than afraid, often describing ongoing worry or apprehension about something that might happen, rather than sudden fright.

  比afraid更正式、书面化，常表示对未来可能发生的事情持续的担忧或不安，而不是突然的惊吓。

  Investors grew fearful that the economy might collapse soon.

  投资者开始担心经济可能很快崩溃。

Afraid, scared, and fearful all mean feeling fear, but strength differs. Afraid is the most common and neutral. Scared is more informal, often describing sudden or startled fear. Fearful is more formal, often describing ongoing worry. Afraid can also mean 'sorry', a sense not compared.

这三个词都表示“感到害怕”，但语气强弱和使用场合不同：afraid最常见、最中性；scared更口语化，强调突然或强烈的惊吓感；fearful更正式、书面化，常表示持续的担忧或不安。这里不比较afraid表示“恐怕，很遗憾”的用法（如I'm afraid I can't come）。