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Definition of cape fear
cape fear
cape fear Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
6
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
American A prominent headland jutting into the Atlantic Ocean from Bald Head Island on the southeastern coast of North Carolina, United States, known for its highly treacherous shoals.
Example
"The shifting sandbars and turbulent waters surrounding Cape Fear have historically made it one of the most hazardous navigational zones on the Atlantic coast."
2
American A major blackwater river in east-central North Carolina that flows southeastward into the Atlantic Ocean near the Cape Fear headland.
• Nearby Words
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Cape fear. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/cape fear