dread

1 of 3

verb

dreaded; dreading; dreads

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

: to be apprehensive or fearful
dread not

dread

2 of 3

noun

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 dreadF. W. Saunders
3
a
: dreadlock sense 1
trimming each dread
b
dreads plural : dreadlock sense 2
looked great in dreads

dread

3 of 3

adjective

1
: causing great fear or anxiety
dread diseases
2
: inspiring awe
our dread king
Choose the Right Synonym for dread

fear, dread, fright, alarm, panic, terror, trepidation mean painful agitation in the presence or anticipation of danger.

fear is the most general term and implies anxiety and usually loss of courage.

fear of the unknown

dread usually adds the idea of intense reluctance to face or meet a person or situation and suggests aversion as well as anxiety.

faced the meeting with dread

fright implies the shock of sudden, startling fear.

fright at being awakened suddenly

alarm suggests a sudden and intense awareness of immediate danger.

view the situation with alarm

panic implies unreasoning and overmastering fear causing hysterical activity.

the news caused widespread panic

terror implies the most extreme degree of fear.

immobilized with terror

trepidation adds to dread the implications of timidity, trembling, and hesitation.

raised the subject with trepidation

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
The optimistic view of this new information is that Chicago at least fired the incompetent coaching staff that Williams and his father dreaded prior to a disappointing rookie year. Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 15 May 2025 Teal Health The Food and Drug administration has approved the U.S.'s first at-home alternative to the Pap smear, a procedure generations of women have dreaded and often found painful. Jennifer Ludden, NPR, 10 May 2025
Noun
At night, the power was often cut, and guards would scream threats into the darkness, heightening dread and disorientation. Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 20 May 2025 Anxiety is a feeling of fear and dread, often triggered by stressful situations, uncertainty, and perceived threats.12 People whose anxiety does not go away or gets worse over time may have an anxiety disorder. Emmanuella Ogbonna, Health, 19 May 2025
Adjective
From a cinematography perspective, that means controlling shadows and light so that there aren’t multiple shadows or multiple kinds of light — the dread combination of a fluorescent bulb and a heat lamp, for example — in the shot, to make everything look clear and single-sourced. Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 29 Apr. 2025 Other times, procrastination stems from an emotional source—boredom, overwhelm, anxiety, dread, and so on. Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dread

Word History

Etymology

Verb, Noun, and Adjective

Middle English dreden, from Old English drǣdan

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dread was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dread.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dread. Accessed 24 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

dread

1 of 3 verb
1
: to fear greatly
2
: to be very unwilling to meet or face

dread

2 of 3 noun
1
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

More from Merriam-Webster on dread

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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