Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Causing great fear, terror, or apprehension: Describes something that is feared or regarded with great anxiety, often because of its perceived danger, severity, or unpleasantness.

Usage

The adjective "dreaded" is used to modify a noun, emphasizing that the thing or person it describes is widely feared or causes intense worry. It often implies a long-standing or well-known fear.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • Polio is no longer the dreaded disease it once was.
  • She had to face her dreaded final exam.
  • The dreaded moment of truth had finally arrived.

Advanced Usage

• "The dreaded [noun]": A common collocation used to refer to something specific that is famously feared.
  • He finally opened the dreaded letter from the tax office.
• Used to describe an anticipated negative event or outcome.
  • The team prepared for their dreaded opponent.

Variants and Related Words

• Dread (verb/noun): To fear greatly; great fear or apprehension.
  • Verb: I dread the thought of Monday mornings.
  • Noun: She felt a sense of dread before the interview.
• Dreadful (adjective): Extremely bad, unpleasant, or causing fear.
  • We heard the dreadful news of the accident.
• Dreadfully (adverb): Extremely; in a dreadful manner.
  • The project was dreadfully behind schedule.

Synonyms

• Feared: Regarded with fear.
• Terrifying: Causing extreme fear.
• Frightening: Making someone afraid or anxious.
• Direful (literary): Extremely serious or terrible.

Antonyms

• Welcome: Received gladly.
• Cherished: Held as dear; beloved.
• Reassuring: Serving to relieve anxiety.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Dread the thought: To be very afraid of the idea of something happening.
  • I dread the thought of having to move house again.
• Live in dread of: To be constantly afraid of something.
  • He lived in dread of being discovered.

Adjective

1. causing fear or dread or terror
   • the awful war
   • an awful risk
   • dire news
   • a career or vengeance so direful that London was shocked
   • the dread presence of the headmaster
   • polio is no longer the dreaded disease it once was
   • a dreadful storm
   • a fearful howling
   • horrendous explosions shook the city
   • a terrible curse