noun
trepidation
trep-ih-DAY-shun/ˌtrepɪˈdeɪʃn/
Fearful anxiety about something that may happen.
The novice feels trepidation before jumping, gripping the diving board's rail.
Etymology
The underlying image is trembling with alarm. Trepidation carries that bodily agitation into the mind: fearful unease about what may happen.
In context
in an agony of trepidation he looked down it... at the house... and at once averted his eyes.
More examples
- Despite his trepidation, he steps onto the stage.
- We watch the storm approach with growing trepidation.
- The thought of moving across the country fills me with trepidation.
Forms
trepidation
Similar words
- apprehension
- Emphasizes uneasy anticipation without necessarily suggesting intense fear.
- anxiety
- Covers ongoing worry, not just fear of something approaching.
- dread
- Suggests stronger fear of a particular approaching event.