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. dreads, Informal. 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 Words From

• dread·a·ble adjective
• dread·ness noun
• pre·dread noun verb (used with object)
• un·dread·ed adjective
• un·dread·ing 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

In an attempt to make sense of Trump’s victory, our collective emotions in this time of trouble and dread, what this election reveals about American values and character, and what comes next when Trump takes power in January, I recently spoke with a range of experts.

From Salon

In an attempt to make sense of Trump’s victory, our collective emotions in this time of trouble and dread, what this election reveals about American values and character, and what comes next when Trump takes power in January, I recently spoke with a range of experts.

From Salon

Joan Didion has called fire season the season of prickly dread, the season when the wind works on the nerves and every voice seems a scream.

From Slate

His emphasis on “historic” did not have a tone of dread, pathos, or regret.

From Salon

And it’s natural that many of them then will fixate on the worst-case scenarios and live their lives with a sense of worry and dread.

From Los Angeles Times