To Be Scared
To Be Afraid Of, To Fear
intransitive verb, godan verb
怖い is "scary." This is a verb version, making it to be scared or to be afraid of.
こわがる
The reading comes from 怖い.
私の主人は逆さ睫毛の手術を受けるのをとても怖がっていたんですよ。
My husband was very scared of getting surgery for his ingrown eyelashes.