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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of dread
Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
In 1976, a new military junta ousted the government, and soon the nightmare so many had dreaded was a reality.
—Daniel Alarcón, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
Craig Grannell, Wired News, 27 June 2025
Seasonal menu rotations prevent the monotony frequent flyers dread, while consistently fresh ingredients elevate even the simplest dishes.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 18 June 2025
Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 June 2025
Dawn of the Dead has been parodied and referenced many times since, including Shaun of the Dead, the video game series Dead Rising, and a remake that's good enough to appear later on this list, but none of its successors quite captured the level of dread and malaise the original does.
—James Grebey, Time, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dread
Adjective
An infant being awake at this time is something most parents would probably dread seeing.
—Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
In 1976, a new military junta ousted the government, and soon the nightmare so many had dreaded was a reality.
—Daniel Alarcón, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
Noun
For decades, the Blue Screen of Death, or BSOD to its friends, has instilled a mix of panic, dread, exasperation, and rage across countless Windows users.
—Craig Grannell, Wired News, 27 June 2025
Seasonal menu rotations prevent the monotony frequent flyers dread, while consistently fresh ingredients elevate even the simplest dishes.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 18 June 2025
Verb
Their emotions range from dread and anger to quiet ambivalence.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 June 2025
Dawn of the Dead has been parodied and referenced many times since, including Shaun of the Dead, the video game series Dead Rising, and a remake that's good enough to appear later on this list, but none of its successors quite captured the level of dread and malaise the original does.
—James Grebey, Time, 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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The details for Alphabet will be necessary, as the stock has been held back by worries that artificial intelligence (AI) will disrupt their search business.—
Bill Stone,
Forbes.com,
20 July 2025
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Optimism about the power of technology and innovation was mixed with worries about geopolitics and the state of civil society.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
18 July 2025
Noun
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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
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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
-
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
-
Gaza would be razed, much like Dresden or Hiroshima, in order to eliminate the danger of terror attacks on Israel coming from Gaza.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
Through it all, the Jurassic Park franchise continued to break new ground, surprising and captivating audiences with fresh, new and unexpected developments in each installment, made all the more vivid, realistic and frightening with the latest in CGI and believable acting.—
Jan Wagner,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 July 2025
-
Perhaps most frightening of all is the fact that, in rural areas, such calamity occurs before any official help can arrive.—
Jessica Pishko,
New Yorker,
15 July 2025
Noun
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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
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This can cause unnecessary anxiety and concern for the dog.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 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
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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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He’s got that leading-man energy that, for that part, was just super-fun, this very scary, almost James Bond villain, or Mission: Impossible.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
12 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dread.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dread. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.
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