dreads 1 of 2

noun

plural of dread
as in terrors
something or someone that causes fear or dread especially without reason speaking in public is a perennial dread for many people

Synonyms & Similar Words

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dreads

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of dread
as in fears

Related Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dreads
Noun
He's described by officials as a Black male in his late teens with a medium-large build and thick dreads. — Nick Lentz, CBS News, 15 June 2026 Mirror images except for the fact that Jelani has his hair in dreads, while Ari goes with the more retro-look afro. — Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2026 But the have-funs and the have-existential-dreads of the hockey community are every bit as clear. — Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026 The courtroom doors cracked open, and a Black woman with long dreads walked in. — Miami Herald, 31 Jan. 2026 Also, there is this human white boy with dreads, Spider, a Tarzan type who hangs around the Sullys with the help of an oxygen mask. — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025 Other introspective angles are explored during Mariano’s audiences with his friend the Pope (Rufin Doh Zeyenouin), a serene Black man with a head crowned by a bundle of silver dreads, who tools around the Vatican on a motorbike. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dreads
  1. terrors
  2. fears
  3. spirits
  4. plagues
  5. curses
  6. torments
Noun
  • The woods could be hiding places of witches and sorcerers, disguised as the old and feeble, but capable of summoning wonder and terrors, charms as well as curses.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 July 2026
  • Which iconic horrors will return to haunt the hallowed halls of 13 and what new terrors await?
    — Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 10 July 2026
Definition of terrors
Verb
  • Now, Azmy fears, the bad old days of Guantánamo are starting to seem like the good old days.
    — Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Now Mubariz fears the same deprivation will shape the next two or three generations.
    — Fatima Faizi, NPR, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of fears
Noun
  • The mini bar—located inside a gorgeous wooden cabinet—was filled with local spirits like pox, a Mayan liquor made of corn, sugar cane, and wheat, and Mayalen Guerrero mezcal in a bottle so beautiful I was tempted to sneak it back in my suitcase.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Drinkwitz has said Hardy is in good spirits throughout his recovery, even having his son accompany him to rehab.
    — PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of spirits
Noun
  • The deadliest animal to have ever roamed the earth is not the great white shark, or snakes, or even rats that caused three great plagues in history, decimating the human population at the time.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 July 2026
  • How many malodorously toxic episodes does that make toward the seven plagues in the Old Testament?
    — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
Definition of plagues
Noun
  • In other cases Hoodoo was used to counter the threat of curses, as in the practice of suspending bottles from a tree to trap any malevolent spirits or witches traveling in spirit form.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The cumulative impression of Alice that the book leaves is of someone moving serenely through life, meeting fond blessings and awful curses both with the same calm equanimity.
    — Ian Penman, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of curses
Noun
  • So too did Trump spiritual advisor Paula White-Cain, who compared the president’s torments to those of Jesus.
    — Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026
  • In the face of such grave concerns, Alyoshka’s torments seem self-indulgent and frustrating, but his problem—whether to leave or stay—is far from insignificant.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
Definition of torments

Browse Nearby Words

dreadnoughts
dreads
dream
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dreads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dreads. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of dreads for Spanish Speakers

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