dread
DRED
/drɛd/
Great fear, terror, or apprehension regarding something that is almost certainly coming.
Implies a deep, heavy, unavoidable weight of lingering horror or severe distress.
The story behind the word. The word traces back to Old English 'ondrædan', meaning to stand in awe or terror before something powerful. By Middle English, it shortened to 'dread', encapsulating that inescapable, sink-in-your-stomach feeling when facing guaranteed hardship.
Word relationships
- terror: Terror is explosive and overwhelming, whereas dread is often prolonged and crushing over time.
- horror: Horror is a reaction to something disgusting or terrifying right now, while dread anticipates a coming ordeal.
- eagerness: Enthusiastic anticipation for something coming up.
- relish: Great pleasure and delight in anticipation.
Commonly confused with
- thread: Thread is a thin strand of cotton or fiber used in sewing.
Word family
- dreadful (adjective): Extremely bad, unpleasant, or shocking.
- dreadfully (adverb): To a terrifying or extremely severe degree.
Collocations
- dread the thought
- filled with dread
- dreaded moment
Idioms & expressions
- dread to think
- filling someone with dread
Example sentences
- "He spent the entire weekend filled with dread at the thought of returning to his toxic job on Monday." Literature / Horror
- "The villagers watched the approaching army with quiet, paralyzed dread." Historical Fiction
Memory hook
DREAD makes you want to lie in BED with a sheet over your head. Heavy, sink-in-your-stomach fear.
When not to use
Avoid using for momentary startles or tiny surprises; dread is a profound, lingering emotion.
Fun facts
- The hairstyle 'dreadlocks' got its name because British soldiers found the Rastafarian warriors' hair 'dreadful' or awe-inspiring!
Related words
Explore more words
imminent, devastation, anguish, fearless, suspense, inevitable
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