fear

Fear is a strong and unpleasant emotion that we feel when we are in danger. Fears can refer to real things (for example, you may be afraid of the dark, of some animals such as crocodiles or spiders, of earthquakes or of injections) or imaginary things (for example, you may be afraid of monsters, ghosts, witches, vampires or scary movies). You may also feel fear when you are faced with a problem, when you have a nightmare, or when you are afraid of not doing something right. When you feel fear, your body can tremble, and your heartbeat can increase rapidly.

We also use dread and fright.