concern and fear share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. concern means “something that interests you because it is important or affects you”. fear means “be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event”. fear is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/kənˈsɝn/
1.n.something that interests you because it is important or affects you
“the safety of the ship is the captain's concern”
2.n.an anxious feeling
“care had aged him”
3.n.a feeling of sympathy for someone or something
“She felt strong concern for those less fortunate”
/ˈfɪɹ/
1.v.be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
“I fear she might get aggressive”
2.v.be afraid or scared of; be frightened of
“I fear the winters in Moscow”
3.v.be sorry; used to introduce an unpleasant statement
“I fear I won't make it to your wedding party”
| concern | fear | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /kənˈsɝn/ | /ˈfɪɹ/ |
| Said | kuhn-SURN | fir |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Letters | 7 | 4 |
| Parts of speech | noun, verb | verb, noun |
| Senses | 7 | 8 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | none recorded | none recorded |
Full entry for concern · Full entry for fear · More comparisons