dreadverb [ T ]
uk/dred/us/dred/C2 to feel extremely worried or frightened about something that is going to happen or that might happen:
He's dreading the exam - he's sure he's going to fail.
[ + -ing verb ] I'm dreading having to meet his parents.
dread to think
C2 used to say that you do not want to think about something because it is too worrying:
I dread to think what would happen if he was left to cope on his own.
More examples
- We are dreading the idea of having my son's friends to stay.
- I dread to think what they say about me behind my back.
- That night as he dreamed, the warrior was confronted by the enemy he dreaded most.
- Although I was absolutely dreading telling Dad, he was actually very understanding when I told him.
- What is now happening in the country is what I dreaded most - it is descending into anarchy and civil war.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Afraid
- afraid
- be like a deer/rabbit caught in the headlights idiom
- bottle
- bottle out
- cower
- fear for sb/sth
- horror-struck
- in terror of your life idiom
- intimidated
- panic
- panic-stricken
- panicky
- pants
- quake
- shit a brick idiom
- terrified
- terror
- terror-stricken
- unconfident
- worst
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Causing anxiety and worry
Anxious and worried
dreadnoun [ U ]
uk/dred/us/dred/a strong feeling of fear or worry:
The prospect of working full-time fills me with dread.
I live in dread of bumping into her in the street.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Fear & phobias
- acrophobia
- aerophobia
- agoraphobic
- alarm
- arachnophobia
- bogey
- chill
- claustrophobia
- cold sweat
- fearful
- fright
- homophobia
- horror
- hydrophobia
- hydrophobic
- panic
- panic stations
- phobia
- terror
- xenophobe
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dread
adjective [ before noun ] ukusformal
The dread spectre of civil war looms over the country.
dreaded
adjective [ before noun ] uk/ˈdred.ɪd/us/ˈdred.ɪd/humorous
My dreaded cousin is coming to stay!