for fear of

/fɔː fˈiəɹ ɒv/

/fɔːɹ fˈɪɹ ʌv/

[phrase]

for fear of

[PHRASE]

in order to prevent something risky or dangerous from happening

synonyms : for fear that

Examples

1. And false rumors that antifascist activists deliberately set fires led some to ignore evacuation orders for fear of looting.

2. So when it comes to anxiety, that definition is the difference between the guy you probably called phobic because he didn't like Space Mountain as much as you did, and the person who truly can't leave their house for fear of interacting with others.

3. Finally, the white men were afraid to be too cruel to the Mexicans, for fear of getting on Murrietta’s hit list.

4. The former general, and now Minister of Defense, was asking soldiers to go to him first before any of the politicians, and Khrushchev had him removed as Minister of Defense in 1958, for fear of him being a bonapartist.