dread
drehd
Dread (verb) means to feel great fear or anxiety about something that is going to happen. Example: “She dreaded the phone call all afternoon.”
verb
1
To feel great fear or anxiety about something that is going to happen.
"She dreaded the phone call all afternoon."
"I dread going to the dentist."
"Many people dread speaking in front of a large crowd."
noun
1
A strong feeling of fear or anxiety about something.
"A sense of dread came over him as he opened the letter."
"She waited for the exam results with growing dread."
"The dark empty house filled the children with dread."
adj
1
Causing great fear; dreaded (used mainly in older or literary English).
"The dread disease swept through the village."
"The knights feared the dread dragon that lived in the mountain."
"Travellers spoke in whispers of the dread forest beyond the river."
How to use dread
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo be very afraid or anxious about something upcoming, or the fear itself.
Common pairings
dread the thought of
a sense of dread
live in dread
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- dreads
- Past tense
- dreaded
- Comparative
- dreader
- Superlative
- dreadest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She _____ the phone call all afternoon.
Etymology
From Old English ondrǣdan, "to fear," formed from and- (a prefix like "against") plus rǣdan, an early relative of "read" in the sense of "advise" or "counsel."
Synonyms
View more →
apprehension
foreboding
fear
apprehensiveness
direful
terrible
awful
dreaded
horrific
fearful
fearsome
frightening
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for dread
See all rhymes for dread →Frequently asked questions
What does “dread” mean?
The word “dread” means to feel great fear or anxiety about something that is going to happen. In plain terms, to be very afraid or anxious about something upcoming, or the fear itself.
How do you pronounce “dread”?
“Dread” is pronounced drehd (/dɹɛd/ in IPA).
How do you use “dread” in a sentence?
Here is “dread” used in a sentence: “She dreaded the phone call all afternoon.”
What part of speech is “dread”?
Depending on how it is used, “dread” can be a verb, a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “dread” come from?
The word “dread” comes from Old English. From Old English ondrǣdan, "to fear," formed from and- (a prefix like "against") plus rǣdan, an early relative of "read" in the sense of "advise" or "counsel.".
Is “dread” a common word?
“Dread” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “dread” have?
“Dread” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to feel great fear or anxiety about something that is going to happen.
What is the difference between "dread" and "fear"?
"Dread" specifically involves feeling great fear or anxiety about something that is going to happen, often something anticipated in advance, such as dreading a difficult meeting. "Fear" is broader and can apply to immediate danger as well as anticipated events.
Can "dread" be used as an adjective, and is that common today?
Yes, "dread" can function as an adjective meaning causing great fear, as in "a dread disease," but this usage is mainly found in older or literary English rather than everyday modern speech. Today it is far more commonly used as a verb or noun.
Is "dread" usually about future events rather than the present?
Yes, "dread" typically describes fear or anxiety about something that is going to happen, which distinguishes it from words describing fear of something happening right now. This forward-looking quality is central to how the word is used.
