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
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For Bertram, whose family winery has roots deep in the terraced vineyards of the valley, the night was a blur of frantic decisions and terrifying uncertainty.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
-
But this is still grand blockbuster filmmaking: The scene where bombs explode across Gotham is as memorable and terrifying as anything in the series.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
11 July 2025
Noun
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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
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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
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Humanitarian workers—many idealistic and committed—fear that sounding the alarm will end operations altogether.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
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The threat remains, but the public’s fears, along with the movies that explored them, have faded away.—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
Sami Al-Arian, a former University of South Florida professor who is associated with the Gaza Tribunal, admitted to conspiring to aid the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group in 2006.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
12 July 2025
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Pearl, who is Jewish, has expressed his fervent support for Israel in the face of rising antisemitism in the U.S. since the Oct. 7 terror attacks in Israel.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
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
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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
Noun
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This can cause unnecessary anxiety and concern for the dog.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 July 2025
-
This is the current situation: Certainly, a trend of appreciating precious metals is at work, but there is also the theme of ‘strategic and critical metals’ anxiety pushing platinum.—
Clem Chambers,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
Noun
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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
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The sylvatic plague is the same bacterium that causes bubonic and pneumonic plague in humans.—
Catherine Reagor,
AZCentral.com,
9 July 2025
Adjective
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The filmmakers used the sounds of babies crying to make a scary noise In the film, the bad people go to a bad afterlife, and they’re taken there by creepy, inky shadow things.—
Drew Mackie,
People.com,
13 July 2025
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Some of it was pretty scary, but Lu was very supportive and helpful, and so was his producer, Matt.—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
12 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dread.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dread. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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