Emotional fear, dread, or anxiety about something. Can also imply reverence in some contexts, but primarily used for worry or fright.
Feeling fear of the earthquake, I rushed outside.
彼は失敗の恐れに悩まされている。
He is tormented by the fear of failure.
Used for objective risk, danger, or the possibility of something undesirable happening. Often appears in formal warnings or news reports. Usually written in kana for this sense.
大雨で洪水のおそれがあります。
There is a risk of flooding due to heavy rain.
この薬は副作用のおそれがある。
This medicine carries a risk of side effects.
A feeling of deep respect mixed with fear or wonder, often toward something grand, divine, or powerful. Less common in daily conversation; more literary or formal.
自然の偉大さに畏れを感じる。
I feel awe at the greatness of nature.
He couldn't take on the new job because of his fear of failure.
There is a high risk of flooding due to the typhoon.
She climbed the mountain feeling a sense of awe toward the great nature around her.
The child harbored a fear of the dark.
畏怖 is a literary word for awe mixed with fear toward something overwhelming, closely matching the reverence sense of 恐れ but even more formal.
不安 expresses a vague, objectless unease, whereas 恐れ can be directed at a specific feared thing or event.
恐れ often means 'the possibility (of something bad happening)' as in 感染の恐れ, overlapping with 危険性 but carrying a more literary, cautionary tone.
fear; dread; fright
fearless; intrepid
Rarely used kanji form for risk/danger.
Rarely used kanji form for awe/reverence.