dreading
Americanverb
Etymology
Origin of dreading
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The couple is among thousands of immigrant parents hiding in their homes in Minneapolis, dreading that federal agents will come knocking.
From Barron's • Feb. 2, 2026
“We were dreading this. But unfortunately, I personally thought it’s a matter of when, not if.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 16, 2025
Whether you're excited for the seasonal sales or absolutely dreading them, it's hard to miss the countless emails and social media adverts on Black Friday deals.
From BBC • Nov. 25, 2025
Each night, she would lie awake dreading the next day.
From Slate • Sep. 15, 2025
We stood huddled by the fence, dreading the inevitable as we watched both the Quinceañera and her mother freeze in their tracks.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
