Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

dread

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of dread

causing fear

  • every ship on the Spanish Main was terrified of running into the dread pirate
Synonyms of dread

alarming, dire, direful, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, forbidding, formidable, frightening, frightful, ghastly, hair-raising, horrendous, horrible, horrifying, intimidating, redoubtable, scary, shocking, spine-chilling, terrible, terrifying
Words Related to dread

daunting, demoralizing, disconcerting, discouraging, dismaying, disquieting, distressing, disturbing, perturbing, startling, threatening, troubling, trying, unnerving

bone-chilling, creepy, eerie (also eery), weird

appalling, atrocious, awful, grisly, gruesome (also grewsome), hideous, horrid, macabre, monstrous, nightmarish
Near Antonyms of dread

calming, comforting, consoling, inviting, lulling, pacifying, quieting, reassuring, relaxing, soothing, tranquilizing (also tranquillizing)

nonintimidating, nonthreatening

dread

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of dread

1 suspicion or fear of future harm or misfortune

  • the dread felt by people awaiting bad news
Synonyms of dread

alarm (also alarum), apprehension, apprehensiveness, foreboding, misgiving
Words Related to dread

agitation, anxiety, anxiousness, concern, disquiet, disquietude, distress, disturbance, fearfulness, funk, perturbation, solicitude, suspense, unease, uneasiness

scruple, worry

doubt, incertitude, mistrust, suspiciousness, uncertainty, wariness

defeatism, pessimism

foreknowledge, premonition, presage, presentiment
Near Antonyms of dread

anticipation, excitement, hope, hopefulness

confidence, optimism, sanguinity

2 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 of dread

alarm (also alarum), anxiety, fear, fearfulness, fright, horror, panic, scare, terror, trepidation
Words Related to dread

phobia

creeps, jitters, nervousness, willies

pang, qualm, twinge

agitation, apprehension, consternation, discomposure, disquiet, funk, perturbation

concern, dismay, worry

cowardice, faintheartedness, timidity, timorousness
Near Antonyms of dread

aplomb, assurance, boldness, confidence, self-assurance, self-confidence

bravery, courage, courageousness, daring, dauntlessness, doughtiness, fearlessness, fortitude, gallantry, hardihood, intrepidity, intrepidness, stoutness, valor

audacity, guts, nerve

3 something or someone that causes fear or dread especially without reason

  • speaking in public is a perennial dread for many people
Synonyms of dread

bête noire, black beast, bogey (also bogie), bugaboo, bugbear, hobgoblin, ogre
Words Related to dread

apparition, ghost, phantasm (also fantasm), phantom, poltergeist, shade, specter (or spectre), spirit, spook, wraith

banshee, bogeyman (also bogyman), demon (or daemon), devil, fiend, ghoul, imp, incubus

fright, horrible, horror, monster, monstrosity, terror

bane, curse, enemy, plague, scourge, torment

abomination, anathema

Synonym Discussion of 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

Learn More about dread

  1. See words that rhyme with dread Dictionary: Definition of dread Spanish Central: Translation of dread Nglish: Translation of dread for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of dread for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dread

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up dread? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games