apprehensive

/ˌæp.rɪˈhɛn.sɪv/

anxious or fearful about something

She felt apprehensive about her job interview.

She was nervous and worried about the job interview.

formalinformal

feeling anxious or fearful about something that might happen

The students were apprehensive about the upcoming exam.

The students were worried about the exam.

He looked apprehensive when the doctor mentioned surgery.

He seemed anxious when the doctor talked about surgery.

Often used to describe a sense of unease or worry about future events.

Collocations

apprehensive aboutworried or anxious about somethingapprehensive offearful or uneasy about something

Use 'apprehensive' when describing a more intense feeling of anxiety or fear compared to 'nervous' or 'worried'.

From Latin 'apprehendere' (to grasp, seize, or apprehend), from 'ad-' (to) + 'prehendere' (to take).

Often used in formal or literary contexts to describe a state of worry or fear about something uncertain.

ap-

prefix

-prehensive

grasp or seize

root

English Dictionary