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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of 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.
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Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2026
The courtroom doors cracked open, and a Black woman with long dreads walked in.
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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
Noun
He's described by officials as a Black male in his late teens with a medium-large build and thick dreads.
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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
Noun
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The year since has been one of night-terrors and grief for the families who lost loved ones.
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Coming later this year, Bass X Macina is set in a lawless Steampunk West overrun by brutal outlaws, machines and supernatural terrors, while Sparks of Tomorrow follows how technological progress evolved along a different path shaped by steam power blankets Kyoto in smoke.
Verb
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For decades, the Iranian people have lived under a government that fears freedom above all else.
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While 54% of Californians reportedly support it, the measure faces significant opposition, including from Governor Newsom, who fears economic harm from billionaire departures.
Noun
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Koval Distillery, Chicago’s first legal post-Prohibition distillery, produces spirits as artful as its bottle designs and Vin312 Winery has grown from its owner’s garage into a full-fledged tasting room.
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The release continues Tamworth’s tradition of creating spirits inspired by the natural world around its rural New Hampshire home.
Noun
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The nets, for the most part, stay out consistently, says Roos, though they are checked regularly, every few days, which prevents not only the algae problem that plagues farmed fish, but also fishermen, as well.
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Previously, older strains appeared to lack the genetic traits that enabled them to spread, leading scientists to think that early plagues were unlikely to trigger outbreaks.
Noun
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Morgan and her Judgment Day cronies tried to bribe Danhausen to put curses on their opponents.
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In baseball, curses are no joking matter, and the Curse of the FTD Burger might now have befallen the team.
Noun
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So too did Trump spiritual advisor Paula White-Cain, who compared the president’s torments to those of Jesus.
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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.
Cite this Entry
“Dreads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dreads. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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