What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Fearful vs Distraught - What's the difference?

fearful | distraught |

As adjectives the difference between fearful and distraught

is that fearful is frightening while distraught is deeply hurt, saddened, or worried; distressed.

fearful

English

Alternative forms

* fearefull (obsolete) * fearfull (obsolete)

Adjective

(fearfuller)
  • Frightening.
  • Frightened, filled with terror.
  • * 1590 , (Edmund Spenser), The Faerie Queene , III.4:
    • Those two great champions did attonce pursew / The fearefull damzell with incessant payns [...].
  • Terrible.
  • Tending to fear.
    • fearful boy

    Synonyms

    * (frightened) frightened, timid, timorous * See also

    External links

    * *

    distraught

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Deeply hurt, saddened, or worried; distressed.
    • His distraught widow cried for days, feeling very alone.

    Derived terms

    * distraughtly * distraughtness

    Synonyms

    * distressed * pained