Fear

Fear is an emotional state which is aroused by threatening situations. The feeling of fear can be the direct result of certain kinds of sensory stimulation, such as sounds which resemble screaming. It can also result from the anticipation that undesirable events will possibly or certainly occur, which can motivate efforts to avoid or mitigate those events, or from imagining threats which are not actually present. While fear is typically felt to be a negative, unpleasant emotion, humans sometimes take pleasure in intentionally making themselves afraid. Fear is often a component of thrilling or adventurous experiences, and certain forms of popular media are based around evoking fear, such as horror films. Maladaptive levels of fear are closely associated with specific phobias and with internalizing psychopathologies like depression, anxiety, and suicidality.

Wikipedia. CC BY-SA 4.0. Updated Jul 16, 2026.