Meaning & use
dread
To anticipate something with great fear, worry, or reluctance.
See it in a sentence
She dreaded the long flight home after such an exhausting trip.
Many students dread final exams more than any other part of the school year.
A note on using this word
Dread is usually followed directly by a noun or gerund, as in dread the meeting or dread going, without a preposition.
Words with a similar meaning
fearfret over
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
welcomeanticipate eagerly
Another way to use it
2. noun
A strong feeling of fear or anxiety about something that may happen.
A sense of dread settled over the crew as the storm approached.
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