Difference between "to fear" and "to be afraid of"
I fear/am afraid I changed my gender.
The very thing I fear/am afraid of is the thing that I can't realize that I actually changed not the thing that I consciously know that I changed. That in fact I hide and fear being/am afraid to be open instead!
What is the difference between using to fear and to be afraid of in these examples?
The meanings of fear as verb are, mainly:
- be afraid of someone or something as likely to be dangerous, painful, or threatening
- feel anxiety or apprehension on behalf of
- avoid or put off doing something because one is afraid
The meanings of afraid are, mainly:
- feeling fear or anxiety; frightened
- worried that something undesirable will occur or be
- unwilling or reluctant to do something for fear of the consequences
The words share some of the meanings. For example, it is possible to use sentences similar to the following ones to express apology or regret:
I'm afraid I don't understand.
I'll buy her book, though not, I fear, the hardback version.
There are some set phrases where fear is used, as:
- for fear of
- never fear
- put the fear of God in someone
- without fear or favor
In both OP's example sentences there's no difference in meaning between fear and be afraid [of].
I have absolutely no idea why OP chose to offer the bizarre sentence I fear I have changed my gender, but I'm going to assume it's in the context of a conversation with a friend you haven't seen for a while, but was your same-sex pal. And who hasn't noticed the sex-change while you chat in a bar, and is now steering you towards the wrong sex toilets assuming you'll go in together for a pee.
Okay, that's a bit surreal. I didn't write the original sentence. It's the only interpretation I can put on it, so I'll assume it could have been I am afraid / fear I'm a bit late. Can I still buy a drink before you close the bar?.
In short, the first usage appears to be conventional politeness, meaning something like I [slightly] regret (whatever). In this usage, I fear is somewhat dated and formal-sounding.
The second usage I assume is literal, evocative of genuine anxiety, fright, or even terror. I personally perceive I fear as slightly more intense, but I doubt there's much consensus there.
TL;DR Just read the first line of the post.