dread
Americanverb (used with object)
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to fear greatly; be in extreme apprehension of.
to dread death.
- Antonyms:
- welcome
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to be reluctant to do, meet, or experience.
I dread going to big parties.
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Archaic. to hold in respectful awe.
verb (used without object)
noun
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terror or apprehension as to something in the future; great fear.
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a person or thing dreaded.
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Informal. dreads, dreadlocks.
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Informal. a person who wears dreadlocks.
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Archaic. deep awe or reverence.
verb
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to anticipate with apprehension or terror
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to fear greatly
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archaic to be in awe of
noun
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great fear; horror
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an object of terror
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slang a Rastafarian
-
archaic deep reverence
adjective
Synonym Usage
See fear.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
dreadsimple
-
dreadssimple
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have dreadedperfect
-
has dreadedperfect
-
am dreadingprogressive
-
are dreadingprogressive
-
is dreadingprogressive
-
have been dreadingperfect progressive
-
has been dreadingperfect progressive
Past
-
dreadedsimple
-
had dreadedperfect
-
was dreadingprogressive
-
were dreadingprogressive
-
had been dreadingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of dread
First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English dreden (verb), Old English drǣdan, aphetic variant of adrǣdan, ondrǣdan; cognate with Old High German intrātan “to fear”
Explanation
The noun dread describes the fear of something bad happening, like the dread you feel when walking alone on a deserted street in the dark. Dread is a feeling of fear, but it can also be the desire to avoid something. For example, many people feel dread at the very thought of speaking in front of an audience. As a verb, dread means "to fear or not want something to happen," like students who did not study and as a result, dread getting their graded tests back. As an adjective, dread means "frightening or terrifying," like a dread monster.
Vocabulary lists containing dread
The Grim Reader: Wicked Words of Grave Importance for Halloween
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Uncanny, Creepy, or Downright Scary: Words For Halloween
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
It’s really no wonder that Neill would go on to play characters who echoed Mark’s descent into madness, splitting off into equally extraordinary works of spine-tingling creature feature dread.
From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026
“Gimme Shelter” reflected the growing dread of the times.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
"This is an easily defanged myth that has generated dread, panic, and real-life consequences," said William Hayes, professor of biology at Loma Linda University School of Medicine and the study's lead researcher.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 10, 2026
In an exclusive interview, she described feeling fear and dread on the following Monday morning as she walked into work at a new business Holder had launched after leaving Superdry in 2016.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
I usually dread it, but the day after the Kitchen Scene, I was glad.
From "Liar, Liar" by Gary Paulsen
Founded in 2012, Carvana made its mark by providing an alternative to the dealership experience that Higginbotham dreads.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 18, 2026
Ferrara admits she could also just drive to the Nevada city, but she dreads the prospect of a four-hour-plus ride.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 8, 2025
A set of headphones covers his ears; its wires fall alongside his dreads.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2025
Chrissie Read, who has four children between the ages of 10 and 17, said she "quite often dreads the summer holidays" and relied on the charity's boxes to manage.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2025
We were about to beat it too, when this dude with ratty dreads came off the court and asked us did we wanna run.
From "We Were Here" by Matt De La Peña
Entering Sunday, 12 soccer players had received a dreaded red card in the 2026 World Cup.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 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
But he does sugarcoat his technological limitations as a 67-year-old comic in the dreaded age of video calls with a punchy Chicano twist.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026
No trust can completely eliminate the dreaded possibility that your sons will eventually use their own money, if they receive additional money from you, to help their father or his partner.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026
Mama had already set up the dreaded frame of branches and there were strings of hide nearby that she would use to tie the skin up tight so that it could be worked.
From "The Birchbark House" by Louise Erdrich
And so I was dreading having to editorialize about this, but fortunately a pollster did it for me.
From Slate ● Jun. 16, 2026
Many of my Chicago neighbors wake each morning dreading what they’ll read in the newspaper.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 17, 2026
All of these factors contribute towards a situation which has now left many dreading the idea of going to A&E.
From BBC ● Mar. 2, 2026
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
I’ve been dreading the moment when our worlds collide.
From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy
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.
