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Formation: V-dictionary / V-ない / V-た / N + の + 恐れがある; noun-modifying: 〜恐れのある + N

States that there is a possibility of something undesirable happening, so it is never used for good outcomes. It sounds formal and objective, and is typical of news reports, weather warnings, official notices and product labels. In official writing it is often spelled おそれがある. Compare 〜かねない, which attaches to the V-ます stem and expresses the speaker's own worry that something could well lead to a bad result; 恐れがある reads more like a neutral warning.

Variants: 〜おそれがある、〜恐れのある + N、〜恐れもある、〜恐れはない

Examples

• 今夜から明日にかけて、大雨による土砂災害の恐れがあります。
  From tonight through tomorrow, there is a risk of landslides caused by heavy rain.
• この薬は眠気を催す恐れがあるので、運転前には服用しないでください。
  This medicine may cause drowsiness, so do not take it before driving.
• 絶滅の恐れのある野生動物の取引は、条約で規制されている。
  Trade in wild animals at risk of extinction is regulated by treaty.

In real texts 0 occurrence(s)

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