How to use "for fear of"

What Does "for fear of" Mean?

• Grammatical function: expresses a reason for avoidance, indicating that an action is taken (or not taken) to prevent something undesirable from happening. It indicates cause and consequence.
• Typical sentence position: medial or final; less commonly initial.
• Register: neutral to formal

How to Use It

• Syntactic patterns: "for fear of" is followed by a noun phrase or a gerund (verb ending in -ing). It typically follows a clause describing an action.
• Punctuation rules: Generally, a comma is not needed before "for fear of" unless it introduces a nonrestrictive clause or follows an introductory phrase. A semicolon is not used.
• Grammatical flexibility: It rarely starts a sentence. While it can be moved within a sentence, doing so can sound awkward. It cannot be directly negated; instead, the action it modifies is negated.
• What sounds unnatural or incorrect: Using "for fear that" (followed by a full clause) is generally considered incorrect. It should be followed by a noun or gerund.

Real-World Examples

These examples are sourced from for fear of on Ludwig.guru.

"Perhaps, for fear of setting a precedent." — The Economist

"We need authority for fear of anarchy." — The New Yorker

"She stopped eating meat for fear of getting sick." — The Economist

"Officials avoid decisions for fear of being accused of favouritism." — The Economist

"These sources asked to remain unnamed for fear of retaliation." — The New York Times

Examples sourced from https://ludwig.guru/s/for+fear+of

Similar Phrases and Alternatives

Phrase	Context
in case	Suggests a precaution taken because something might happen; less formal.
to avoid	More direct and concise; suitable for general contexts.
lest	More formal and literary; often used with "should".
so as not to	Emphasizes the intention to prevent something; more common in formal writing.
to prevent	Focuses on the action taken to stop something from happening.
for the sake of avoiding	More emphatic and wordy; highlights the importance of avoidance.
out of concern for	Highlights the worry or anxiety that motivates the action.

Common Mistakes

• Incorrectly using "for fear that" followed by a full clause instead of "for fear of" followed by a noun or gerund. For example, "She didn't speak up for fear that she would be wrong" is incorrect; it should be "She didn't speak up for fear of being wrong."
• Misplacing the phrase within the sentence, making the meaning unclear or awkward.
• Using the phrase in overly informal contexts where simpler alternatives would be more appropriate.

Quick-Reference Summary

Expression	Function	Register	Typical Position
for fear of	Expresses reason for avoidance	Neutral to Formal	Medial or Final

FAQs

Where can "for fear of" be placed in a sentence?

For fear of typically appears in the middle or at the end of a sentence, following the main clause that describes the action being taken. While grammatically possible to start a sentence with it, it's less common and can sound somewhat awkward. The most natural placement is after the action being avoided is described.

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How does "for fear of" differ from "in case"?

While both phrases indicate precaution, "for fear of" implies a stronger sense of apprehension or dread about a specific negative outcome. "In case" is more general, suggesting a preparation for something that might happen, whereas "for fear of" suggests avoiding something due to a definite concern. For example, "I brought an umbrella in case it rains" versus "I stayed silent for fear of causing an argument."

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How can I avoid the common mistake of using "for fear that"?

Remember that "for fear of" is followed by a noun or a gerund (a verb ending in -ing). If you find yourself wanting to use a full clause (subject + verb + object), then rephrase the sentence to use "for fear of" followed by a gerund or noun. For example, instead of saying "He ran away for fear that he would be caught," say "He ran away for fear of being caught."