as in terrifying
causing fear
every ship on the Spanish Main was terrified of running into the dread pirate
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in worry
suspicion or fear of future harm or misfortune
the dread felt by people awaiting bad news
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fear
the emotion experienced in the presence or threat of danger
we were filled with dread when we saw the rapids we would be rafting down
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in terror
something or someone that causes fear or dread especially without reason
speaking in public is a perennial dread for many people
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dread
Brad Riew, People.com, 29 July 2025
Osbourne initially excelled with dark, doom-and-gloom songs that fused often grim lyrics about angst, alienation and dread with crunching guitar riffs, thumping drum beats and his powerful singing.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 July 2025
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025
The Korean War lifted the fear of a depression, bringing on the new dread of inflation.
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Phillip Goericke, Fortune, 12 Dec. 2025
On Sunday, with the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings getting set to begin in Orlando, Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report made a bold prediction that fans of 29 other teams would dread.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dread
Adjective
To feel dread, or to not know where to look to find hope.
—Noun
The combination of slow-moving dread and Nicholson’s over-the-top performance creates a level of discomfort that many have tried to match.
—Verb
In fact, Millennial mothers may dread heading to the mall even more than fathers in this age group.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for dread
Adjective
-
Humans could suddenly step into a box, perhaps hear gears grind, and then exit the box on a different floor—and even as safety features were innovated, that was terrifying.—
-
Madigan's character, the elderly aunt of several of the students, became a cult favorite, both terrifying and delighting audiences.—
Noun
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Meanwhile Syria remains scarred by years of conflict and nationals in Germany are looking on at the debate with mounting worry.—
-
Leaders at big carmakers spelled out their worries in the latest round of earnings calls, saying that finding a replacement for Nexperia at scale in the short term will be difficult.—
Noun
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A lot of people get drawn into the fear, distracted by the thoughts in their head.—
-
Many immigrant customers haven’t returned, while five of his former employees, despite having working papers, left Charlotte permanently out of fear.—
Noun
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Charles Manson had turned the hippie identity into one of night-stalking terror.—
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Last December, armed rebels previously aligned with terror groups finally ousted Assad from power after a 14 year civil war.—
Adjective
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Experts immediately pointed out that Hassett had used a misleading method known as a cubic fit to make the mortality data appear less frightening.—
-
When the sun went down, the Santa Anas began to blow, and the fire shifted into the familiar, frightening rhythm of inevitability.—
Noun
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Somehow, this new sensation emitted an awareness of the magnitude in which skateboarding would warp my life, which only ratcheted up the anxiety of blowing it.—
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The news this week that an ICE agent had shot and killed a woman in Minnesota heightened his anxiety.—
Noun
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Crucially, the eggs were fittingly fluffy, none of that rubbery nonsense that plague lesser burrito slingers.—
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Now the government is out to quash this plague of poor decision making.—
Adjective
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The only thing scarier to horror fans might just be Amy Madigan losing for Weapons.—
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Families will love Hiccup’s Wing Gliders in the Isle of Berk, a not-too-scary coaster that still delivers thrills.—
Cite this Entry
“Dread.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dread. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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