Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

dreaded

  • past participle
    of dread.
    dread
    verb (used with object)
    to fear greatly; be in extreme apprehension of.
  • past tense form
    of dread.
    dread
    verb (used with object)
    to fear greatly; be in extreme apprehension of.

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.

See Examples For:

But they wake up on race day with the dreaded red signal on their watch telling them they haven’t fully recovered from a shake-out run the day before.

From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026

Anything that drifts too close to the dreaded category of “dump and stir,” a phrase that has done real reputational harm to a perfectly sensible technique?

From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026

Nowhere in my vision are hours or days spent waiting for a health insurer to determine whether such a treatment plan is covered — the dreaded exercise known as prior authorization.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 27, 2026

These sessions, along with daily Dharma talks, both of which I’d dreaded, turned out to be the retreat’s highlight.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026

He led me back into the house, to the dreaded dining room table, and waved for me to sit down.

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas