as in terrifying
causing fear
every ship on the Spanish Main was terrified of running into the dread pirate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in worry
suspicion or fear of future harm or misfortune
the dread felt by people awaiting bad news
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fear
the emotion experienced in the presence or threat of danger
we were filled with dread when we saw the rapids we would be rafting down
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in terror
something or someone that causes fear or dread especially without reason
speaking in public is a perennial dread for many people
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dread
Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 30 June 2025
Marcus and Sydney, both of whom have lost their mothers, interlock neatly with Carm, who still dreads seeing his own.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 26 June 2025
Catherine Baab, Quartz, 2 June 2025
There is really no sense of tension building up or dread or any of the stuff that made these sequences work in the game.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 20 June 2025
If 28 Days Later presaged our post-9/11 paranoia and dread, 28 Years Later settles into the resigned gloom of our modern age, where everything is rubbish and only getting worse.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dread
Adjective
Best for Memphis-y Style For those who dread the typical trappings of a stuffy office space, this file cabinet (a MoMA exclusive) is as refreshing as that first cup of coffee.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 30 June 2025
Marcus and Sydney, both of whom have lost their mothers, interlock neatly with Carm, who still dreads seeing his own.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 26 June 2025
Noun
For business leaders, the turn of events is fueling déjà vu — and dread
According to the Conference Board, 83% of U.S. CEOs now expect a recession in the next 12 to 18 months.
—Catherine Baab, Quartz, 2 June 2025
There is really no sense of tension building up or dread or any of the stuff that made these sequences work in the game.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025
Verb
But that prerogative to chase self-actualization at all costs brings with it the dread of failure, as heavy as the booming drums that ground the album’s otherwise spry arrangements.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 20 June 2025
If 28 Days Later presaged our post-9/11 paranoia and dread, 28 Years Later settles into the resigned gloom of our modern age, where everything is rubbish and only getting worse.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dread
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dread
Adjective
-
When the body of a young man is found eerily staged in the idyllic Scottish wilderness, detective Monica Kennedy fears this is just the beginning of a terrifying campaign that will strike the heart of a rural community.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
1 July 2025
-
The terrifying moment that passengers were made to put on oxygen masks was captured on video.—
Latoya Gayle,
People.com,
1 July 2025
Noun
-
Their visits to the ophthalmologist are now every six months, but Maggie admits the worry never quite fades.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
7 July 2025
-
Meanwhile, there was hand-wringing in the NASCAR garage over headlines about high crime and worries about whether the Cup Series cars would be able to have a good show on such a narrow course.—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
6 July 2025
Noun
-
These attempts challenge long-standing norms of academic freedom—that is, the ability of a teacher or researcher in higher education to investigate and discuss subjects without fear of political interference.—
Matt Motta,
Scientific American,
10 July 2025
-
Rather than basing trades on company fundamentals or earnings outlooks, many investors appear to be reacting to market trends and peer activity — a pattern commonly associated with FOMO, or fear of missing out.—
Spriha Srivastava,
CNBC,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
Prosecutors are adding new first-degree murder charges to those already faced by terror suspect, who remains jailed.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
1 July 2025
-
The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI are concerned about the potential for copycat attacks from the New Orleans terror attack on New Year's Day, as well as homegrown extremists.—
Luke Barr,
ABC News,
1 July 2025
Adjective
-
Moreover, if their environment is unpredictable, frightening, or volatile, some children learn that any disagreement could lead to danger and try to bury their feelings to avoid conflict and maintain a sense of peace.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Parents,
7 July 2025
-
The great outdoors can be a big and frightening place, especially for cats who have only seen it from the safety of the great indoors.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
7 July 2025
Noun
-
Your husband’s anxiety just makes her puppet strings easier to pull.—
Virginia Chamlee,
People.com,
5 July 2025
-
But Democratic pollster John Zogby said many of the wins came at the sacrifice of some and that anxiety in America is higher than ever.—
Paul Bedard,
The Washington Examiner,
5 July 2025
Noun
-
This is in addition to the broader advice given the plague of text message attacks now targeting American citizens.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
-
The sylvatic plague is the same bacterium that causes bubonic and pneumonic plague in humans.—
Catherine Reagor,
AZCentral.com,
9 July 2025
Adjective
-
The 24-year-old is only going to get better, and that's a scary thing for the league.—
Ricardo Klein,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 2025
-
This was in the days when only lunatics or scary white punks had shaved heads.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dread.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dread. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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