dread
verb (used with object)
to fear greatly; be in extreme apprehension of.
have dreaded
-
present perfectof dread.present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
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 change is one that researchers have dreaded finding because it is associated with increased mammal-to-mammal transmission and disease severity.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 12, 2025
A tragedy occurs in the middle of “Close” — something a viewer might have dreaded and hoped was not coming — that splits the movie in two.
From New York Times ● Jan. 26, 2023
The ballooning page count, oddly enough, is a giveaway: The longer you read The Mirror and the Light, the more you sense how Mantel must have dreaded arriving at this finale.
From Slate ● Mar. 12, 2020
Most people at one time or another have dreaded receiving vaccinations but endured the momentary pain from the needle’s prick to get the shot knowing it was for their own good.
From Washington Times ● Jul. 18, 2017
Its nature, its dark craft which you have dreaded, is not seen, and your mind grows light with surprise.
From The Sea and the Jungle by H. M. (Henry Major) Tomlinson
