Pronunciation

/dred/

Definitions

• Noun: A feeling of great apprehension, fear, or anxiety; often used to describe an intense anticipation of something unpleasant or formidable. For example: “The thought of public speaking fills her with dread.”
• Verb: To anticipate with great fear or anxiety; to be afraid of (something happening). For example: “She dreads the day when she has to give a speech in front of a large audience.”

Phrases

• “Dread of something”: A strong fear or aversion towards something, e.g., “He has a dread of heights.”
• “In dread of”: Feeling fearful about something that might happen, e.g., “She was in dread of facing her boss after making the mistake.”
• “Dreadful”: An adjective derived from “dread” which means extremely bad or unpleasant, e.g., “The weather forecast predicts a dreadful storm tonight.”

Example Sentences

• Noun: “The prospect of a long, dark winter filled her with dread.”
• Verb: “I dread going to the dentist, even though I know it’s important.”

Synonyms

• Fear
• Anxiety
• Apprehension
• Terror
• Horror
• Misgiving
• Unease
• Worry
• Concern
• Anticipation (in a negative sense)