dread
verb (used with object)
to fear greatly; be in extreme apprehension of.
had been dreading
-
past perfect progressiveof dread.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
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.
With her horse trainer husband Christian away working in Cheltenham, she and Betsy were ushered into a room where they received the news Charlotte had been dreading.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2024
Joy and her husband had been dreading the day the bulldozers arrived and she said she worried about other families facing the same predicament.
From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2024
Coyotes fans had been dreading this moment, hoping it never would happen.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 17, 2024
But then Mr Reid received the news he had been dreading, that his cancer was back.
From BBC ● Mar. 30, 2023
I had been dreading Ob’s death for so long that in my mind I practically had the coffin picked out and which tie he’d wear.
From "Missing May" by Cynthia Rylant
