Dread — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun adjective /ˈdred/

Meaning & Definition of Dread

Dread (verb)

  1. to fear greatly
  2. to regard with awe
  3. to feel extreme reluctance to meet or face

Dread (noun)

  1. great fear especially in the face of impending evil
  2. extreme uneasiness in the face of a disagreeable prospect
  3. awe

Dread (adjective)

  1. causing great fear or anxiety
  2. inspiring awe

Dread (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. causing fear

    "every ship on the Spanish Main was terrified of running into the dread pirate"

    similar: alarming, dire, direful, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, forbidding, formidable, frightening, frightful, ghastly, hair-raising, horrendous, horrible, horrifying, intimidating, redoubtable, scary, shocking, spine-chilling, terrible, terrifying
    related: daunting, demoralizing, disconcerting, discouraging, dismaying, disquieting, distressing, disturbing, perturbing, startling, threatening, troubling, trying, unnerving, bone-chilling, creepy, eerie, weird, appalling, atrocious, awful, grisly, gruesome, hideous, horrid, macabre, monstrous, nightmarish
    near: calming, comforting, consoling, inviting, lulling, pacifying, quieting, reassuring, relaxing, soothing, tranquilizing, nonintimidating, nonthreatening

Dread (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. suspicion or fear of future harm or misfortune

    "the dread felt by people awaiting bad news"

    similar: alarm, apprehension, apprehensiveness, foreboding, misgiving
    related: agitation, anxiety, anxiousness, concern, disquiet, disquietude, distress, disturbance, fearfulness, funk, perturbation, solicitude, suspense, unease, uneasiness, scruple, worry, doubt, incertitude, mistrust, suspiciousness, uncertainty, wariness, defeatism, pessimism, foreknowledge, premonition, presage, presentiment
    near: anticipation, excitement, hope, hopefulness, confidence, optimism, sanguinity

  2. 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"

    similar: alarm, anxiety, fear, fearfulness, fright, horror, panic, scare, terror, trepidation
    related: phobia, creeps, jitters, nervousness, willies, pang, qualm, twinge, agitation, apprehension, consternation, discomposure, disquiet, funk, perturbation, concern, dismay, worry, cowardice, faintheartedness, timidity, timorousness
    near: aplomb, assurance, boldness, confidence, self-assurance, self-confidence, bravery, courage, courageousness, daring, dauntlessness, doughtiness, fearlessness, fortitude, gallantry, hardihood, intrepidity, intrepidness, stoutness, valor, audacity, guts, nerve

  3. something or someone that causes fear or dread especially without reason

    "speaking in public is a perennial dread for many people"

    similar: bête noire, black beast, bogey, bugaboo, bugbear, hobgoblin, ogre
    related: apparition, ghost, phantasm, phantom, poltergeist, shade, specter, spirit, spook, wraith, banshee, bogeyman, demon, devil, fiend, ghoul, imp, incubus, fright, horrible, horror, monster, monstrosity, terror, bane, curse, enemy, plague, scourge, torment, abomination, anathema

Dread (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in fear, apprehend

    similar: apprehend, fear, descry, discern, perceive, preview, alert, caution, foretoken, forewarn, envisage, envision, foreshadow, prefigure, visualize, augur, forecast, foretell, predict, presage, prognosticate, prophesy, anticipate, divine, forefeel, foreknow, foresee, prevision

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Dread

The most common words with a similar meaning to Dread:

alarming, dire, direful, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, forbidding, formidable, frightening, frightful, ghastly, hair-raising, horrendous, horrible, horrifying, intimidating, redoubtable, scary, shocking, spine-chilling, terrible, terrifying, alarm, apprehension, apprehensiveness, foreboding, misgiving, anxiety, fear, fearfulness, fright, horror, panic, scare, terror, trepidation, bête noire, black beast, bogey, bugaboo

Related Words for Dread

daunting, demoralizing, disconcerting, discouraging, dismaying, disquieting, distressing, disturbing, perturbing, startling, threatening, troubling, trying, unnerving, bone-chilling, creepy, eerie, weird, appalling, atrocious, awful, grisly, gruesome, hideous, horrid, macabre, monstrous, nightmarish, agitation, anxiousness

Near Antonyms of Dread

calming, comforting, consoling, inviting, lulling, pacifying, quieting, reassuring, relaxing, soothing, tranquilizing, nonintimidating, nonthreatening, anticipation, excitement, hope, hopefulness, confidence, optimism, sanguinity, aplomb, assurance, boldness, self-assurance, self-confidence, bravery, courage, courageousness, daring, dauntlessness

Word Forms of Dread

Inflections: dreaded, dreading, dreads

Origin & Etymology of Dread

Middle English dreden, from Old English drǣdan

First known use: before 12th centuryt

Frequently Asked Questions about Dread

What does "Dread" mean?

"Dread" means to fear greatly. As an a verb, a noun and an adjective, it is defined as: to fear greatly. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Dread"?

Other words for "Dread" include alarming, dire, direful, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, forbidding and formidable. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Dread" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Dread"?

There are 167 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Dread". Common alternatives include alarming, dire, direful, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, forbidding, formidable, frightening and frightful.

How do you use "Dread" in a sentence?

Examples of "Dread" in a sentence: "every ship on the Spanish Main was terrified of running into the dread pirate"; "the dread felt by people awaiting bad news"; "we were filled with dread when we saw the rapids we would be rafting down".

Is "Dread" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Dread" can be used as a verb, a noun and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Dread"?

"Dread" is pronounced /ˈdred/.

What is the origin of the word "Dread"?

"Dread" comes from Middle English dreden, from Old English drǣdan. First known use: before 12th centuryt.

What is another word for "Dread" meaning "causing fear"?

When "Dread" (adjective) means causing fear, synonyms include alarming, dire, direful, dreadful, fearful and fearsome.