These words all describe feeling or showing fear. 以上各词均形容害怕。

• afraid [not before noun] feeling fear; worried that sth bad might happen 指害怕、担心不幸的事可能发生：◆There's nothing to be afraid of. 没有什么要害怕的。◆Aren't you afraid (that) you'll fall? 你不怕会跌倒吗？
• frightened feeling fear; worried that sth bad might happen 指害怕、担心不幸的事可能发生：◆a frightened child 受惊的孩子◆She was frightened that the glass would break. 她担心玻璃会破碎。
• scared (rather informal) feeling fear; worried that sth bad might happen 指害怕、担心不幸的事可能发生：◆The thieves got scared and ran away. 小偷慌张起来，都跑掉了。

afraid, frightened or scared? 用 afraid、frightened 还是 scared？

Scared is more informal, more common in speech, and often describes small fears. Afraid cannot come before a noun. It can only take the preposition of, not about. If you are afraid/frightened/scared of sb/sth/doing sth or afraid/frightened/scared to do sth, you think you are in danger of being hurt or suffering in some way. If you are frightened/scared about sth/doing sth, it is less a fear for your personal safety and more a worry that sth unpleasant might happen. * scared 较非正式，较常用于日常谈话中，常指有些害怕。afraid 不用于名词前，只能与介词 of 而非 about 连用。be afraid/frightened/scared of sb/sth/doing sth 或 be afraid/frightened/scared to do sth 均指担心受到伤害或遭受痛苦。be frightened/scared about sth/doing sth 较少指担心个人安全，更多的是指害怕不快的事情发生。

• terrified very frightened 指恐惧、很害怕：◆I was terrified (that) she wouldn't come. 我很害怕她不来。◆She looked at him with wide, terrified eyes. 她看着他，双目圆睁，充满恐惧。
• alarmed afraid that sth dangerous or unpleasant might happen 指担心危险或不快的事情发生：◆She was alarmed at the prospect of travelling alone. 她一想到独自旅行的情景就害怕。
• paranoid (rather informal) afraid or suspicious of other people and believing that they are trying to harm you, in a way that is not reasonable 指多疑、不合情理地恐惧：◆You're just being paranoid. 你只是在疑神疑鬼。

Patterns

• afraid/frightened/scared of spiders, etc.
• frightened/scared/paranoid about …
• afraid/frightened/scared/terrified that …
• afraid/frightened/scared to open the door, etc.
• Don't be afraid/frightened/scared/alarmed.