Apprehensively

uneasy or fearful about something that might happen:
apprehensive for the safety of the mountain climbers.
quick to learn or understand.
perceptive; discerning (usually followed by of).
historical examples

but he used a match instead, while mrs. effingham watched him apprehensively.
tutt and mr. tutt arthur train

“i hope miss howes doesn’t forget,” she said apprehensively.
miss pat at school pemberton ginther

the child looked up at mrs. kilpatrick apprehensively; then the sunshine of hope broke out again through the cloud.
a country doctor and selected stories and sketches sarah orne jewett

margaret looked at it apprehensively, fearing she knew not what.
three margarets laura e. richards

washington wrote most apprehensively concerning the situation to the congress.
greenwich village anna alice chapin

“perhaps it is an earthquake,” put in the professor, apprehensively.
frank merriwell down south burt l. standish

he was ever glancing toward the door, not hopefully as h-therto, but apprehensively, fearfully.
the yellow claw sax rohmer

“i’m afraid they’re in some trouble,” replied will apprehensively.
the call of the beaver patrol v. t. sherman

she gazed at him in silence, and apprehensively, trembling from head to foot.
ten thousand a-year. volume 3. samuel warren

at the subdued tone, the unexpected words, she turned to him apprehensively.
the mystics katherine cecil thurston

adjective
fearful or anxious
adj.

late 14c., “capable of perceiving, fitted for mental impression,” from medieval latin apprehensivus, from latin apprehensus, past participle of apprehendere (see apprehend). meaning “fearful of what is to come” is recorded from 1718, via notion of “capable of grasping with the mind” (c.1600). related: apprehensively; apprehensiveness.