dread

dread — verb

1. to experience strong fear or worry about something that you expect to happen, es

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to experience strong fear or worry about something that you expect to happen, especially something unpleasant

Example

Élise dreaded her driving test because she had not practiced enough.

dread + noun object for a specific feared event

Many students dread taking exams at the end of the school year.

dread + -ing form of verb

Common collocations
  • dread going
  • dread the thought
  • dread the day
  • dread the moment
Synonyms
  • fear

    more general; 'fear' can refer to any level of anxiety while 'dread' implies stronger, more persistent worry

  • be terrified of

    emphasizes extreme fear, while 'dread' focuses more on anxious anticipation

  • be afraid of

    broader and less intense than 'dread', which carries a sense of prolonged worry

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

dread + noun

dread + -ing

dread + that-clause

Usage Note

Can be followed by a noun object (dread + something), an -ing form (dread doing something), or a that-clause (dread that something will happen). The -ing form is the most common pattern in everyday speech.

Common Mistakes

I dread to go to the dentist.
I dread going to the dentist.
The verb 'dread' is followed by an -ing form, not a to-infinitive, when expressing fear of doing something.

2. said when you avoid imagining or considering a situation because the truth might

2.verbB2
Definition

said when you avoid imagining or considering a situation because the truth might be very unpleasant

Example

"I dread to think what the city will look like after the flood," said the mayor.

dread to think + wh-clause (fixed expression)

Harper dreaded to think how much the car repairs would cost.

Common collocations
  • dread to think
  • dread to imagine
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

dread to think + wh-clause

dread to think + what/how much

Usage Note

Only used with the verbs 'think' or 'imagine' in the fixed pattern 'dread to think/imagine + wh-clause'. Cannot be used with other to-infinitive verbs (*I dread to go, *I dread to see).

Common Mistakes

I dread to consider what will happen.
I dread to think what will happen.
Only 'think' and 'imagine' work in this fixed expression; other verbs sound unnatural.
Idioms

dread the thought / idea of

idiom

to feel very worried or upset at the idea of something happening

Sivan dreaded the thought of spending another winter in that cold apartment.

Ravindra dreaded the idea of telling his parents about the accident.

dread — noun

dread — adjective

Word family

  • dreadful
    adjectiveB1
  • dreadfully
    adverbB2
  • dreadlocks
    nounB1
  • dreaded
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four expressions describe negative feelings about something, but they differ in intensity and focus. 'Be afraid of' is the most general and neutral phrase, covering anything from mild unease to serious panic: a child can be afraid of the dark, and an adult can be afraid of losing a job. 'Fear' as a verb is slightly more formal than 'be afraid of' and can describe both immediate danger and long-term concerns. 'Be terrified of' suggests a much stronger, more extreme reaction — someone terrified of spiders may scream or run. 'Dread' sits between these levels: it is stronger than ordinary fear but less explosive than terror. What makes 'dread' unique is its focus on future anticipation — you dread something that has not happened yet but that you expect to be unpleasant. For example: 'She dreaded the phone call from the hospital' (waiting anxiously) versus 'She was afraid of the dark' (a general state) or 'She was terrified when the car swerved' (an immediate reaction).

fear ↗dread ↗be terrified ofbe afraid of

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • fill with dread
  • in dread of
  • live in dread of
  • a sense of dread

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Dread comes from the Old English word 'drǣdan', which meant 'to fear, to be afraid'. It is related to the Old Norse 'hræða' (to frighten). The noun form appeared around the 13th century. The hairstyle name 'dreadlocks' dates back to the 1960s but draws on an older Caribbean English use of 'dread' meaning 'fear' or 'awe' — the locks were thought to inspire dread in European observers.