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
Neal K. Shah, Boston Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
Most longtime famous people avoid eye contact and dread interaction — or, like the great Pete Townshend, are warm and likable in person but also hold the view that a certain elusiveness is an essential part of their art and their appeal.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
Vadim Rizov, IndieWire, 16 May 2026
Based on public reporting, a sense of dread is taking hold.
—Daniel Depetris, Twin Cities, 15 May 2026
William Jones, Ascend Agency, 13 Apr. 2026
An ominous, inexplicable sound that floods dread into your every waking step, and that will eventually drive you to suicide or murder?
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dread
Adjective
The Guthrie family has been living what millions of families dread.
—Neal K. Shah, Boston Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
Most longtime famous people avoid eye contact and dread interaction — or, like the great Pete Townshend, are warm and likable in person but also hold the view that a certain elusiveness is an essential part of their art and their appeal.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
Noun
The rest of the film consists of the brother and sister’s return to the ranch, now suffused with dread at Misael’s inability to properly care for his sibling.
—Vadim Rizov, IndieWire, 16 May 2026
Based on public reporting, a sense of dread is taking hold.
—Daniel Depetris, Twin Cities, 15 May 2026
Verb
Some practitioners dread intense classes that require nutrition that leads to real improvements.
—William Jones, Ascend Agency, 13 Apr. 2026
An ominous, inexplicable sound that floods dread into your every waking step, and that will eventually drive you to suicide or murder?
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dread
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dread
Adjective
-
The tech is terrifying, but it’s treated matter-of-factly, played for barked laughs.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
-
Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette star as the main couple, Bear and Nikki, who fall victim to the One Wish Willow, a wish-granting toy with terrifying results.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
Another reasonable worry is energy.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
14 May 2026
-
With one less worry – a safe home – Denise can now imagine a future for her family.—
Jayme Fraser,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Renter Mandy Feng, who prefers to use a pseudonym for fear of being seen criticizing the authorities, said the stimulus the government is offering has failed to offset people’s anxiety over an uncertain economic outlook.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
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China's exports gathered pace in April as factories scrambled to meet surging overseas demand from foreign buyers stockpiling goods as the Iran fanned fears of higher input costs.—
Anniek Bao,Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Maika Monroe may have starred in multiple defining horror films of the last 10-plus years, from her breakout in It Follows to the recent box-office smash Longlegs, but no amount of scream-queen credits could prepare her for the gory terror of Victorian Psycho.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
-
Trump later slapped the state-sponsor of terror designation back on at the start of his second term.—
Rick Jervis,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Eidinger is perfect for the role, and his escalating temper tantrums — almost camp at first, with delicious echoes of Christoph Waltz’s Hans Landa — become frightening in their intensity.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
18 May 2026
-
But at Medley Club, residents never lost power during the entire frightening ordeal.—
Jeffrey Steele,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Renter Mandy Feng, who prefers to use a pseudonym for fear of being seen criticizing the authorities, said the stimulus the government is offering has failed to offset people’s anxiety over an uncertain economic outlook.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
-
As anyone who deals with anxiety knows, one of its chief triggers is uncertainty.—
Tom Dotan,
Vanity Fair,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Haffkine, little known to the general public, was the Ukrainian-Jewish scientist whose work on cholera and plague vaccines in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries helped save millions of lives.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
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In 2023, a slew of onstage attacks involving water bottles, cellphones and other projectiles seemed to plague musicians.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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Part of what makes Nikki so scary is that these intense moments seem to come out of nowhere.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
18 May 2026
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Two friends from Auburn and Berkeley were meeting halfway for a picnic in Sacramento but said even driving there in the strong wind was scary.—
Kayla Moeller,
CBS News,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dread.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dread. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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