People feared dragon.

Meaning: People are very scared of the dragon. Think of how you might feel if you saw a giant, fire-breathing lizard.

Choice of Words: People are human beings. Feared means to have a strong feeling of fear or anxiety. Dragon is a large, winged, fire-breathing creature. "People feared dragon" describes a situation where people are filled with terror due to the presence of a dragon.

Alternative Expressions

Dragons were feared by the people.

Meaning: This means that the people were scared of the dragons. It's like saying, The dragons were scary to the people because they were big and could breathe fire.

Choice of Words: Dragons are mythical creatures that are often depicted as large, fire-breathing reptiles. Were feared means that they were the object of fear or anxiety. By the people refers to the group of individuals. When you put them together, "Dragons were feared by the people" means that the dragons were the object of fear or anxiety for the group of people.

The people had a fear of dragons.

Meaning: This means that the people were scared of the dragons. It's like saying, The people were scared of the dragons because they were big and could breathe fire.

Choice of Words: The people refers to the group of individuals. Had means to possess or own something. A fear means a strong feeling of fear or anxiety about something. Of dragons refers to the mythical creatures that are often depicted as large, fire-breathing reptiles. When you put them together, "The people had a fear of dragons" means that the group of people possessed or owned a strong feeling of fear or anxiety about the dragons.

Related Expressions