If you've ever trembled with fright, you know something of both the sensation and etymology of trepidation. The word comes from the Latin verb trepidare, which means "to tremble." Early meanings of trepidation, such as "tremulous motion" or "tremor," reflect that origin; those are followed by the word's sense of "apprehension."
trepidation adds to dread the implications of timidity, trembling, and hesitation.
raised the subject with trepidation
Example Sentences
In the first minutes, hours, or even days of fieldwork most researchers feel trepidation about being an outsider, a stranger on the scene … Marie D. Price, Geographical Review, January-April 2001This was an ambitious project, and a number of us felt some trepidation about the possible results. Brian Phillips, New Republic, 13 Dec. 1999I came aboard the 319 with trepidation, to join the lives of utter strangers, a man untried by the circumstances they had known. Henry G. Bugbee, Jr., "Naval History,"in Authors at Sea, Robert Shenk, ed., 1997 He had some trepidation about agreeing to their proposal. shaking with trepidation, I stepped into the old abandoned house
Recent Examples on the WebThe gates were being opened, and Fall Out Boy was welcomed into the music industry, though with some trepidation. Joe Trohman, Rolling Stone, 13 Sep. 2022 But even this ride-or-die Chicagoan walked into the Collaborative Art Institute of Chicago’s 2022 art song festival, with performances Sept. 7-11, with some trepidation. Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 12 Sep. 2022 One White House source told Politico that the president’s inner circle was still watching the course of the pandemic with some trepidation. Jason Linkins, The New Republic, 29 Apr. 2022 Inna felt relief that her family would be safe but trepidation about their arrival. Ed Caesar, The New Yorker, 20 June 2022 But even with all the research and planning that went into this venture, Minogue cops to having some trepidation about launching it in the U.K. back in 2020, just as the pandemic was taking hold. Joe Lynch, Billboard, 8 June 2022 That sounded like the academy was testing the waters, and not without some trepidation, given Smith’s A-list nominee status.Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2022 Eight days later, the ban was lifted, and cooks could resume smashing avocados into guacamole, blending them into smoothies and smearing them onto bread without trepidation. Jeffrey Miller, The Conversation, 28 Feb. 2022 Fears of women's rights and civil liberties being swept aside by Islamic extremism, along with trepidation about the country's threat to regional stability, have all justly triggered global concern. Isha Sesay, Masai Ujiri, CNN, 29 Sep. 2021 See More
Word History
Etymology
Latin trepidation-, trepidatio, from trepidare to tremble, from trepidus agitated; probably akin to Old English thrafian to urge, push, Greek trapein to press grapes