dreaded

/ˈdredɪd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdredɪd/ (ame, ipa)

dreaded — adjective

  • dreadedpositive
  • more dreadedcomparative
  • most dreadedsuperlative

1. making people feel very afraid or deeply anxious, especially because they expect

1.形容詞B2
釋義

making people feel very afraid or deeply anxious, especially because they expect something bad or painful to happen

例句

Yuki could not sleep the night before the dreaded final exam.

dreaded + noun for a feared event

The knock on the door brought the dreaded news Amara had feared for weeks.

同義詞
  • feared

    more about reputation or long-standing anxiety, less about an immediate event

  • terrifying

    stronger and more intense; causes extreme fear in the moment

  • frightening

    more immediate and acute, without the sense of anticipation that 'dreaded' carries

  • alarming

    causes worry or concern rather than deep fear

反義詞
  • welcomed

    received with happiness rather than fear

  • longed-for

    eagerly anticipated, the opposite emotional charge

文法句型

dreaded + noun

用法筆記

Almost always used before a noun. Distinguish from sense 2 (UNPLEASANT), which carries a lighter, often humorous tone about everyday annoyances rather than genuine fear.

常見錯誤

❌The food was dreaded.
✅The food was dreadful.
💡'dreaded' means causing fear or anxiety; 'dreadful' means very bad or unpleasant.
❌I felt dreaded before the speech.
✅I felt dread before the speech.' or 'I was dreading the speech.
💡'dreaded' is an adjective describing the thing that causes fear, not the feeling itself.

2. describes a person, thing, or event that people strongly dislike, find tedious,

2.形容詞B2
釋義

describes a person, thing, or event that people strongly dislike, find tedious, or try to avoid — often said with a touch of humour about routine annoyances

例句

Elena put off the dreaded chore of cleaning the garage for yet another weekend.

dreaded + chore/task for an everyday annoyance

The dreaded rainy season turned the dirt road into a river of mud.

同義詞
  • hated

    stronger and more personal; implies active dislike rather than weary avoidance

  • unwelcome

    more neutral and formal; lacks the exaggerated, humorous tone of 'dreaded'

  • notorious

    implies something is widely known for being bad, not just personally disliked

  • loathed

    very formal and intense; much stronger than the everyday tone of sense 2

反義詞

文法句型

dreaded + noun

用法筆記

Often used in a slightly exaggerated or humorous way about everyday irritations — no actual fear is involved. Distinguish from sense 1 (FRIGHTENING), which involves genuine anxiety or terror.

常見錯誤

❌The dreaded criminal was finally caught.' (if meaning a criminal people were annoyed by)
✅The dreaded criminal was finally caught.
💡this sentence is correct but only for sense 1 (someone who caused fear). For sense 2, the subject must be something tedious or unwanted, not dangerous.
❌I am dreaded of Monday mornings.
✅I dread Monday mornings.
💡'dreaded' is an adjective that describes the thing itself; to express your own feeling, use the verb 'dread.'