dread
verb (used with object)
to fear greatly; be in extreme apprehension of.
were 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.
“We were dreading this. But unfortunately, I personally thought it’s a matter of when, not if.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 16, 2025
On Thursday afternoon, the moment we were dreading happened - we got an emergency evacuation notice.
From BBC ● Jan. 10, 2025
For all of the appeal of the low price, many German train regulars, who have long had to deal with delayed or canceled trips and overcrowded cars, were dreading the expected effect of the promotion.
From New York Times ● Aug. 15, 2022
“Many scientists were dreading that the president would be faced by a test just like coronavirus,” Halpern said.
From The Guardian ● May 3, 2020
Hermione hesitated; then she said, “You — you were dreading Binky being killed by a fox?”
From "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling
