dreaded; dreading; dreads
1
a
: to fear greatly
can't swim and dreads the water
a dreaded disease
b
archaic
: to regard with awe
2
: to feel extreme reluctance to meet or face
dread the future
dreaded telling him the truth
dread the thought of speaking in public
: to be apprehensive or fearful
dread not
1
a
: great fear especially in the face of impending evil
were filled with dread by reports of another terrorist attack
b
: extreme uneasiness in the face of a disagreeable prospect (see prospect entry 1 sense 4c)
dread of a social blunder
c
archaic
: awe
2
: one causing fear or awe
the days of wooden ships and wooden homes, when fire was an omnipresent dread—
F. W. Saunders
F. W. Saunders3
a
: dreadlock sense 1
trimming each dread
b
1
: causing great fear or anxiety
dread diseases
2
: inspiring awe
our dread king
Examples of dread in a Sentence
Verb
He can't swim and dreads going in the water.
She dreaded making speeches in front of large audiences.
I dread the day I will have to leave my friends.
I dread the thought of moving next week.
I dread to think about what they might do next.
Noun
She has a dread of failure.
He lives with the constant dread of rejection.
She awaited her punishment with dread.
The news about the war fills me with dread.
They live in constant dread of another attack.
Adjective
every ship on the Spanish Main was terrified of running into the dread pirate
Recent Examples on the Web
Rebecca Johns, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
New record highs reached for average 401(k) balances On average, many savers didn't need to dread taking a peek at their 401(k) statements as of late June.
—Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Julia Hass, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025
The Internet's Emotional Reaction The video's initial reactions on TikTok were a mix of playful dread and pure joy.
—Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
Matt Gandal, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Many wrestle with dread, spiritual disorientation and a shattered sense of safety in the world.
—Liza Barros-Lane, The Conversation, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for dread
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Verb
Less than a year after Jhonatan Andrés Martínez Villada left his home in the northern Colombian city of Santa Marta to fight on Ukraine’s front lines, his mother received the call that every parent dreads.
—Rebecca Johns, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
New record highs reached for average 401(k) balances On average, many savers didn't need to dread taking a peek at their 401(k) statements as of late June.
—Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
While Serrano’s narrator is drowning in existential dread, her debut novel never feels weighed down.
—Julia Hass, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025
The Internet's Emotional Reaction The video's initial reactions on TikTok were a mix of playful dread and pure joy.
—Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
For too long, college admissions has been a high-stakes, high-stress process that many college hopefuls dread.
—Matt Gandal, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Many wrestle with dread, spiritual disorientation and a shattered sense of safety in the world.
—Liza Barros-Lane, The Conversation, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for dread
Cite this Entry
“Dread.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dread. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dread
1 of 3 verb1
: to fear greatly
2
: to be very unwilling to meet or face
dread
2 of 3 noun1
a
: great fear especially in the face of approaching harm
b
archaic
: awe entry 1
2
: one causing fear or awe
dread
3 of 3 adjective
: causing great fear or anxiety
a dread disease
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