People have been asking me for this list for such a long time! If you write horror, suspense, mystery, or any kind of fiction with a scary scenes, you need to know how to describe fear.
This list can get you started. It’s a lot of phrases describing fear, including physical reactions, physical sensations, facial expressions, and other words you can use in your novel or in other creative writing.
I’ve included some that can work for uneasiness or anxiety, but most of these are for real terror. You can alter them to fit your sentence or your story, and they’ll likely inspire you to come up with your own descriptions.
Bookmark or pin this page for your reference—it might save you a lot of time in the future. I’ll probably add to it now and again!
fear paralyzed him
his terror mounted with every step
she fought a rising panic
fear tormented her
her heart was uneasy
her heart leaped into her throat
his heart hammered in his chest
his heart pounded
terror stabbed his heart
his heart jumped
her heart lurched
a fear that almost unmanned him
his body shook with fear
she trembled inside
he suppressed a shiver
panic surged through him
her fear spiked
he was in a complete state of panic
she could feel nothing but blind terror
his legs were wobbly with fear
she sweated with fear
his hands were cold and clammy
she was weighed down by dread
dread twisted in her gut
his stomach clenched
fear fluttered in her stomach
her belly cramped
he felt like he might throw up
she was sick with fear
she was frightened down to the soles of her shoes
he was icy with panic
her body went cold with dread
raw panic was in her voice
her voice was thick with fear
his voice was edged with fear
terror thundered down on him
fear caught her in its jaws
fear clawed up her throat
terror sealed her throat
fear gripped her throat
his throat tightened
then she knew real terror was
he was frantic with fear
she was half mad with terror
the color drained from her face
his face was ashen
she blanched
dread gnawed at his insides
dread had been growing in him all day
fresh terror reared up within her
fear choked him
terror stole her words
he was mute with horror
her voice was numb with shock
his voice was shrill with terror
her defiant words masked her fear
her body felt numb
his blood froze in his veins
terror coursed through her veins
fear throbbed inside her
his panic fueled him
adrenaline pumped through his body
adrenaline crashed through her
fear pulsed through him
her scalp prickled
the hairs on the back of her neck stood up
his mouth went dry
his bones turned to jelly
her bones turned to water
she froze with horror
he didn’t dare to move
terror struck her
he was too frightened to lift her head
she was too frightened to scream
his mouth was open in a silent scream
he cringed with fear
she cowered
he shrank back in fear
she flinched
a bolt of panic hit her
terror streaked through him
her terror swelled
his panic increased
anxiety eclipsed his thoughts
panic flared in her eyes
his eyes were wild with terror
her eyes darted from left to right
she feared to close her eyes
he lay awake in a haze of fear
she walked on in a fog of fear
his eyes widened with alarm
she tried to hide her fear
he struggled to conceal his shock
fear crept up her spine
fear trickled down her spine
panic seized his brain
she felt a flash of terror
fear took hold of him
fear flooded through her being
she ordered a drink to drown the panic
he arranged and re-arranged the items on his desk
a nameless dread engulfed him
I bet you came up with other ideas as you were reading!
For more writing lists, check out my book Master Lists for Writers, if you don’t have it yet! A lot of writers use it to make writing go faster, especially when it comes to descriptions.
And if you’re not following the blog already, sign up below—I share lots of writing resources. Thanks so much for reading, and happy writing!
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Thank you, Bryn. I can certainly use this list as I go through and clean up my novel. There are some places that need a stronger element of fear.
Hi Bonnie! So glad this was coming at the right time! 🙂
Love the book and the above list! Thank you for taking the time to compile all of it. So appreciated!
Oh thank you! I’m so glad you like it!
I just love your lists. I often refer to them when I’m stuck. That book is right next to the dictionary and thesaurus when I write.
I’m so glad you like them, Erin! I’m honored. 🙂
I was searching for the perfect list to describe fear.
I stumbled across your blog and I am glad that I did, you literally saved my butt out there!!?
I got an A* because of you !
Thankyou!!❤❤
Aww, I’m so glad to hear this! 🙂
Thanks for compiling this list. Much needed.
Aw thanks, Ezekiel! So glad you like it!
What a terrifying, fantastical list. Thank you, Bryn
Haha, thanks, Bryan! When I read back over it, I did feel a little creeped out. 🙂
I have a scene coming up that this will be perfect for. Thank you for sharing. Bookmarking now!
Hi Sarah! So glad it’ll be useful! Sounds like you have an exciting scene coming up 🙂
This is a great list! Thank you, Bryn.
Wow! When I read it, I was SO / COMPLETELY creeped out!???
Ha! You know what, when I make these lists, I always start feeling the emotions, too!
I’m thankful for your help. It is great to see these lists. Many blessings ❤️
I have been a bibliophile since long, but never before did I read so many blogs in a sequence. I am really amazed to have found them.Thanks a ton . Superb work .
You saved my life !
Thank you a lot ???
So glad to hear that! Happy writing 🙂
Thanks… It’s good to know tath someone is making life easier for those interested in writing.
ohhh ,how grateful i am for this list it will come in handy so thankyou
Thank you so much for this list! It is exactly what I was looking for. I ordered the book 🙂
Thanks for ordering the book, Laila. I hope you like it! And glad this list worked for you!
This is an amazing list. I saw in your other comment that you have a book…?
I wanted to tell you that I often return to this page when I am stumped coming up with a way to write some specific reaction. Sometimes I just use one of the ideas you offer directly, and other times something here gives me an idea I riff off of to create something new. Thank you so much for compiling this list!
I riffed this time (last line): “Still feeling the sadness of Manzoa’s fate and wondering what this place was and why he was here, Goff cautiously walked over to the desk. A quill still wet with thick black ink rested next to a sheet of parchment filled with writing in a language he couldn’t read. Crude drawings made with heavy strokes were set within the words. Some of them were disturbing — a bleeding hand cut open with a knife and a person floating lifeless below a ghoul with black eyes poised to attack. He stared at the words, hoping that just like when he traveled back in time to Monstraxen, he would be able to understand them. As he stared, the ink on the page disappeared like water soaking into a sponge. A spider of panic crawled up his spine.”