verb

dread

to fear greatly, to anticipate with apprehension

I dread going to the dentist.

I dread going to the dentist.

He dreads the thought of speaking in public.

He dreads the thought of speaking in public.

((sth.)) to fear (sth.) greatly He dreads the exam.

((-ing)) to fear doing (sth.) I dread going to the dentist.

Synonyms: fear, be afraid of, worry about, apprehend; Antonyms: look forward to, welcome, anticipate

From Old English 'ondrædan', meaning 'to advise against' or 'to fear'.

'Dread' sounds a bit like 'dead'. You dread things that you fear might have a 'deadly' or very bad outcome.

This page is designed for learning support. Please use it as a learning reference, not as a formal reference.