dread

[dred]

verb (used with object)

1. to fear greatly; be in extreme apprehension of.

   to dread death.

   Antonyms: welcome

2. to be reluctant to do, meet, or experience.

   I dread going to big parties.

3. Archaic.,  to hold in respectful awe.

verb (used without object)

1. to be in great fear.

noun

1. terror or apprehension as to something in the future; great fear.

2. a person or thing dreaded.

3. Informal.,  dreads, dreadlocks.

4. Informal.,  a person who wears dreadlocks.

5. Archaic.,  deep awe or reverence.

adjective

1. greatly feared; frightful; terrible.

   Synonyms: horrible, dreadful, dire

2. held in awe or reverential fear.

dread

/ drɛd /

verb

1. to anticipate with apprehension or terror

2. to fear greatly

3. archaic,  to be in awe of

noun

1. great fear; horror

2. an object of terror

3. slang,  a Rastafarian

4. archaic,  deep reverence

adjective

1. literary,  awesome; awe-inspiring

Other Word Forms

• dreadable adjective
• dreadness noun
• predread noun
• undreaded adjective
• undreading adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dread¹

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”

Word History and Origins

Origin of dread¹

Old English ondrǣdan; related to Old Saxon antdrādan, Old High German intrātan

Synonym Study

See fear.

Example Sentences

While Roman stumbles through life without Rocky, Dennis dreads the realization that his lies may undo everything.

From Los Angeles Times

"I believe you can feel a sense of dread taking hold of communities up and down the country," said Dorries.

From BBC

“Resolution” is a curious word in this context — because there never is one for what has become a dreaded, tiresome ritual.

From Salon

A mum says she starts to dread the new school year from Christmas because of the cost of uniform and other kits her children will need in September.

From BBC

I call this process catastrophic gradualism: the small, almost insensible accumulation of evils, fairly minor in their individual character, but which when considered whole, inspire a pervasive feeling of dread.

From Salon

Related Words

• apprehension 
• awe 
• consternation 
• dismay 
• horror 
• panic 
• phobia 
• terror 
• trepidation