dread
verb (used with object)
to fear greatly; be in extreme apprehension of.
was dreading
-
past progressiveof dread.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
And so I was dreading having to editorialize about this, but fortunately a pollster did it for me.
From Slate ● Jun. 16, 2026
Later that year, Lively also sent texts to actress and co-star Jenny Slate, and said she was "dreading" going back to set and "getting hits of the experience in really upsetting ways".
From BBC ● Jan. 21, 2026
That’s one of the reasons I was dreading this debate.
From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2024
Wizman said she was dreading Sunday evening, when she would once again be able to go online and read the latest headlines.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2023
Trailing from beneath it was the sight he was dreading.
From "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker
