as in terrors
something or someone that causes fear or dread especially without reason
speaking in public is a perennial dread for many people
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of dreads
Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2026
But the have-funs and the have-existential-dreads of the hockey community are every bit as clear.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
The courtroom doors cracked open, and a Black woman with long dreads walked in.
—Miami Herald, 31 Jan. 2026
Also, there is this human white boy with dreads, Spider, a Tarzan type who hangs around the Sullys with the help of an oxygen mask.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025
Other introspective angles are explored during Mariano’s audiences with his friend the Pope (Rufin Doh Zeyenouin), a serene Black man with a head crowned by a bundle of silver dreads, who tools around the Vatican on a motorbike.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2025
Noun
Mirror images except for the fact that Jelani has his hair in dreads, while Ari goes with the more retro-look afro.
—Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2026
But the have-funs and the have-existential-dreads of the hockey community are every bit as clear.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
The courtroom doors cracked open, and a Black woman with long dreads walked in.
—Miami Herald, 31 Jan. 2026
Also, there is this human white boy with dreads, Spider, a Tarzan type who hangs around the Sullys with the help of an oxygen mask.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025
Other introspective angles are explored during Mariano’s audiences with his friend the Pope (Rufin Doh Zeyenouin), a serene Black man with a head crowned by a bundle of silver dreads, who tools around the Vatican on a motorbike.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dreads
Noun
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Film will ultimately survive as a medium even in the face of overwhelming terrors.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
9 Mar. 2026
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What could be worse than these twin terrors?—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Hem Sinath fears that weakened structures could collapse during the rainy season, which normally begins in late May or early June and continues through October.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Mar. 2026
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Under Healey’s $4 million request, Bradley fears the program would suffer from limited training capacity and fewer available clinicians and diversion options across Massachusetts.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The vice president of the Gardner PTA, Oralia Rodriguez, even brought ice cream to campus in an effort to lift spirits.—
Da Lin,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
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Pernod Ricard has spent recent years moving away from wine and toward spirits, including the December sale of Mumm Napa to Trinchero Family Wine & Spirits.—
Aidin Vaziri,
San Francisco Chronicle,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The team treats patients against a backdrop of all-too-common American societal plagues, from substance use disorder to medical bankruptcies and mass shootings.—
Christian Dameff,
The Conversation,
20 Mar. 2026
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At least 25 are killed as flash flooding plagues Nairobi.—
Evelyne Musambi,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Pay multiple people from the crafts site Etsy to perform tarot readings, lift any existing curses and otherwise engage in witchcraft.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
4 Mar. 2026
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Indeed, various curses and slurs could be heard shouted from the audience at London's Royal Festival Hall, even during some segments broadcast to audiences in England and abroad.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In the face of such grave concerns, Alyoshka’s torments seem self-indulgent and frustrating, but his problem—whether to leave or stay—is far from insignificant.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
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For example, Madrazo’s depiction of the daughters of El Cid echoes Yáñez’s treatment of Sebastian’s torments, and Guerrero has deeply studied Spanish baroque painting.—
Benjamin Lima
Special Contributor,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dreads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dreads. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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