dread

About 4.68 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. verb To fear greatly.
2. verb To anticipate with fear.

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

3. verb To be in dread, or great fear.
4. verb To style (the hair) into dreadlocks.
5. noun Great fear in view of impending evil; fearful apprehension of danger; anticipatory terror.

   My visit to the doctor is filling me with dread.

6. noun Reverential or respectful fear; awe.
7. noun Somebody or something dreaded.
8. noun A person highly revered.

Similar words

direful terrible dreadful fearful horrific fearsome frightening alarming fear horrendous

Often followed by

of the and that to in disease it lest

Word family

dreaded dreading dreads