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
Brad Riew, People.com, 29 July 2025
Osbourne initially excelled with dark, doom-and-gloom songs that fused often grim lyrics about angst, alienation and dread with crunching guitar riffs, thumping drum beats and his powerful singing.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 July 2025
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025
The Korean War lifted the fear of a depression, bringing on the new dread of inflation.
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Phillip Goericke, Fortune, 12 Dec. 2025
On Sunday, with the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings getting set to begin in Orlando, Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report made a bold prediction that fans of 29 other teams would dread.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dread
Adjective
To feel dread, or to not know where to look to find hope.
—Brad Riew, People.com, 29 July 2025
Osbourne initially excelled with dark, doom-and-gloom songs that fused often grim lyrics about angst, alienation and dread with crunching guitar riffs, thumping drum beats and his powerful singing.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 July 2025
Noun
The combination of slow-moving dread and Nicholson’s over-the-top performance creates a level of discomfort that many have tried to match.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025
The Korean War lifted the fear of a depression, bringing on the new dread of inflation.
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Verb
In fact, Millennial mothers may dread heading to the mall even more than fathers in this age group.
—Phillip Goericke, Fortune, 12 Dec. 2025
On Sunday, with the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings getting set to begin in Orlando, Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report made a bold prediction that fans of 29 other teams would dread.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dread
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dread
Adjective
-
Humans could suddenly step into a box, perhaps hear gears grind, and then exit the box on a different floor—and even as safety features were innovated, that was terrifying.—
Jason Corso,
Fortune,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Madigan's character, the elderly aunt of several of the students, became a cult favorite, both terrifying and delighting audiences.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Meanwhile Syria remains scarred by years of conflict and nationals in Germany are looking on at the debate with mounting worry.—
Sophie Tanno,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
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Leaders at big carmakers spelled out their worries in the latest round of earnings calls, saying that finding a replacement for Nexperia at scale in the short term will be difficult.—
Boston Herald Wire Services,
Boston Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
A lot of people get drawn into the fear, distracted by the thoughts in their head.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Many immigrant customers haven’t returned, while five of his former employees, despite having working papers, left Charlotte permanently out of fear.—
Liz Rothaus Bertrand,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The other lives in New Jersey and is accused of talking about a potential terror attack in Boston during a livestream.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Esmé, along with many patrons and staff, experienced the terror and chaos of the event firsthand.—
Mikelle Street,
Them.,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Experts immediately pointed out that Hassett had used a misleading method known as a cubic fit to make the mortality data appear less frightening.—
Rogé Karma,
The Atlantic,
7 Jan. 2026
-
When the sun went down, the Santa Anas began to blow, and the fire shifted into the familiar, frightening rhythm of inevitability.—
Jonathan Taplin,
Rolling Stone,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The attendees—thirty- and forty-somethings who are members of the bank’s Private Wealth Management (PWM) division, which boasts an average account size of over $75 million—gathered to hash out their anxiety and excitement.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
9 Nov. 2025
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Barton will have to wait another month to receive his sentence for the six guilty counts the jury returned on charges of sending a grossly offensive electronic communication with intent to cause distress or anxiety to football broadcasters Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward, and TV and radio host Jeremy Vine.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Crucially, the eggs were fittingly fluffy, none of that rubbery nonsense that plague lesser burrito slingers.—
Brock Keeling,
Oc Register,
6 Nov. 2025
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Now the government is out to quash this plague of poor decision making.—
David Merritt Johns,
The Atlantic,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Fascinating albeit kinda scary to watch though.—
Megan Cartwright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
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Kim also recalled her mother allegedly threatening her father’s life, and on one scary occasion, Betty drove her car into the new home Dan shared with their children.—
Alex Gurley,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dread.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dread. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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