English · Word Candidate

dread

/dɹɛd/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: dreads · dreading · dreaded · dreader

Sense 1

Meaning · English

To fear greatly.

Verb

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

To anticipate with fear.

Verb

I'm dreading getting the results of the test, as it could decide my whole life.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

Great fear in view of impending evil; fearful apprehension of danger; anticipatory terror.

Noun

My visit to the doctor is filling me with dread.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

Reverential or respectful fear; awe.

Noun

The fear of you, and the dread of you, shall be upon every beast of the earth.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

What does “dread” mean?

To fear greatly.

Is “dread” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.