Trepidatious
(pronounced trep-ih-day-shus) adjective
Definition
from the noun trepidation; anxious and uneasy about an uncertain event or matter; fearful; apprehensive; nervous.
[Note: Three decades ago, when this author began researching and assembling words that ought to be featured in the first edition of his book “The Articulate Professional,” only the noun form--trepidation--was in conversational use. But, in very recent years, there has been a distinct surge in conversational use of the adjective form--trepidatious--by highly successful communicators.]
Main Example
- President Trump’s recent decision to impose a 5% new tariff on all imports from Mexico, and increase that levy each month by an additional five percentage points until a maximum of 25%, if that nation does not immediately curb the flow of migrants across our southern border could wreak havoc on the U.S. auto industry which relies heavily on vehicles and parts manufactured in Mexico. As you can imagine, American auto workers, fearing job losses, are watching developments in this matter trepidatiously.
Workplace Examples
- You are right, fear of public speaking ranks right at the top for most people. I remember reading once in The Wall Street Journal that the only greater fear is that of snakes! I’ll never forget my anxiety the first time I had to deliver a speech: while approaching the lectern, my steps were so halting, so trepidatious that I must have cut a very sorry figure.
- Yes, I am excited about my promotion, but between you and me, I’m pretty apprehensive about these new responsibilities. And I have good reason to be a bit trepidatious: as you know, my two most immediate predecessors bit the dust on this very assignment.
Other Examples
- while recalling some of his most memorable hikes in America’s national parks, this author talking about one that he and his family undertook in the early 1990s in Yellowstone, and adding “Midway, someone informed us that a mother grizzly and her two cubs were in the area, and that hike suddenly became one of our most trepidatious ever.”
- a fellow employee commenting: “You can bet that many young and relatively inexperienced investors who lost large sums of money by selling while the Dow Jones and S&P 500 were plummeting during the 2007-2008 financial crisis may be forever trepidatious at the thought of re-investing in the stock market.”
- during a presentation by the company’s top management to all the employees, a relatively new recruit putting a question to the CEO trepidatiously
- a trepidatious voice or glance; an approaching and risky surgery making one trepidatious; being trepidatious before a job interview
- a letter from the IRS saying that you are being audited making you trepidatious
