dread

Examples

• All

• And you don't get darker or more dread-inducing than Jehna Wilhelm from To Kill a Petty Bourgeoisie.

  Blog text (9)

• Now all I feel is dread.

  Fiction book (2002)

• Each moment in time has been one of wonder, dread, and not knowing.

  Fiction book (1997)

• I needed to face the pain, but the closer I got, the only thing I felt was... dread.

  I Can Only Imagine (2018)

• Must be dread, indeed, to trouble you, lordship.

  Legend (1985)

• Thus, the engine that drives all thrillers is dread.

  Academic text (2009)

• Something in July's tone spilled dread into the channels.

  Fiction book (1993)

• He was watching, waiting for her to smile, but Constance felt dread washing over her.

  Fiction book (1994)

• The dread feeling in her stomach grew as the storm approached and dark clouds gathered overhead.

• As he stood at the edge of the cliff, he was overcome with dread at the thought of what might happen if he slipped.

Synonyms

S

scary

vsdread

763 1.0

Causing fear or making you feel afraid

is more serious and often inspires deeper fear and awe

T

terrible

vsdread

658 1.0

So frightening that people feel afraid

is also used for awe inspiring situations not only horror

F

frightening

vsdread

287 3.0

Causing someone to feel afraid

is more intense and can inspire awe or lasting anxiety

T

terrifying

vsdread

209 5.3

Making people feel very afraid

is broader also including awe and lasting anxious fear

H

horrific

vsdread

179 5.5

Causing great fear or shock

is more about inspiring awe and anxious fear beyond shock

D

dire

vsdread

141 6.9

Very serious, frightening, and needing action quickly

is more about inspiring deep fear or awe rather than urgency

D

dreadful

vsdread

136 3.7

Very bad and unpleasant, often causing fear or shock

is more focused on producing profound fear and awe than badness

H

horrifying

vsdread

95 4.5

Makes people feel very afraid and shocked

is broader sometimes including awe or long lasting anxiety

E

eerie

vsdread

91 5.1

A strange, frightening feeling as if ghosts are nearby

is about strong fear or awe rather than only odd unease

H

horrendous

vsdread

82 7.0

Very shocking and scary, causing fear or disgust

is less about shock and more about deep awe or worry

A

awful

vsdread

• Archaic

65 1.1

Very frightening and causing fear or dread

is more about inspiring deep awe or prolonged anxious worry

G

grim

vsdread

57 4.5

Very bad and shocking, causing people to feel fear or sadness

is broader including awe and anxious feelings not only bleak horror

G

ghastly

vsdread

49 6.8

Causing great fear and shock, often like death or ghosts

is general fear or awe without necessarily implying death or spirits

F

fearsome

vsdread

37 4.8

Very frightening and likely to make people afraid

is broader and can include deep awe or prolonged anxiety

F

fearful

vsdread

19 2.9

Causing strong fear and worry

is more intense also implying awe or long lasting anxiety

F

foreboding

vsdread

9 7.3

Making you feel that something bad will happen

is about causing immediate great fear or awe not future warnings

C

chilling

vsdread

1 5.3

Making you feel very scared or worried

is stronger adding awe and deep anxious feelings beyond unease

D

dreaded

vsdread

1 4.2

Causing great fear or worry

is the agent that produces fear rather than only being feared

S

shuddery

vsdread

1 8.5

That makes you shiver with fear

is more general inspiring broad fear or awe than a shiver

D

direful

vsdread

• Archaic

1 9.9

Causing great fear or showing terrible danger

is a common modern term used without old fashioned tone

Antonyms

C

comforting

134 1.4

Making someone feel less worried or upset

R

reassuring

78 3.1

Makes someone feel less worried and calmer

How Frightening

terrifying

209 5.3

dread

3 6.4

frightening

287 3.0

alarming

94 3.7

unsettling

64 4.2

Surface Forms

Etymology