Webster's English Dictionary

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fearful

fear.ful \'fi(*)r-f*l\ \-f*-le-\ aj 1: causing fear  2a: full of fear  2b: 
   indicating or arising from fear {a ~ glance}  3: extremely bad, intense, or 
   large RIFIC, APPALLING: in conversational use these words are all nearly 
   interchangeable as mere intensives. Used seriously, FEARFUL applies to what 
   produces fear, agitation, or loss of courage; AWFUL implies striking with 
   an overpowering awareness of transcendent force, might, or significance; 
   DREADFUL suggests a power to make one shudder with mingled fear and 
   aversion; FRIGHTFUL implies a startling or outrageous quality; TERRIBLE 
   suggests painfulness too great to be endured; TERRIFIC implies the power to 
   stun or strike terror with the release or display of great or explosive 
   force; APPALLING describes what terrifies and also dismays or dumbfounds 
   ar. FEARFUL implies a timorous, worrying, or imaginative temperament more 
   often than a real cause for fear; APPREHENSIVE implies an immediate state 
   of mind produced by having good grounds for fear; AFRAID may or may not 
   imply good grounds but usu. suggests weakness or cowardice - fear.ful.ly av 
   SYN syn AWFUL, DREADFUL, FRIGHTFUL, TERRIBLE, TER  SYN syn FEARFUL, 
   APPREHENSIVE, AFRAID mean disturbed by fe