Another Word for Dread

Mild · A little, in the background

unease

A low background discomfort you can still work through.

misgiving

A doubt about a plan or decision you already agreed to.

qualm

A small, specific worry, often about whether something is right.

disquiet

A restless, unsettled mood that lingers without a clear cause.

apprehension

Mild worry about something scheduled, like a call or a test.

the jitters

Casual word for shaky nerves before an event.

a sinking feeling

The first drop in your stomach when you sense bad news.

Moderate · Clearly there, hard to ignore

foreboding

A strong hunch that something will go wrong, even without proof.

trepidation

Fear mixed with hesitation as you move toward something.

angst

A broad, lingering worry about life or the future.

fear

Plainer and more direct, when the threat feels real and named.

anxiety

Ongoing worry that spreads across many things, not one event.

a pit in your stomach

Everyday phrase for dread you feel physically in your gut.

presentiment

A literary word for sensing what is about to happen.

Intense · Strong, taking over

horror

Dread mixed with shock and revulsion at what might happen.

terror

Overwhelming fear that leaves little room for thinking.

doom

The sense that a bad outcome is certain and unstoppable.

panic

When dread tips into a sudden surge your body cannot ignore.

paralysis

Dread so heavy you cannot make yourself start or act.

a cold sweat

Informal phrase for dread that shows up as clammy skin.

I have so much dread about tomorrow.

I have a real sense of foreboding about tomorrow's review.

There is some dread about the trip.

I have a few misgivings about the trip, mostly about the budget.

Opening my email fills me with dread.

Opening my email gives me a pit in my stomach.

I feel dread every Sunday night.

Sunday nights bring a steady unease I can feel in my shoulders.

The dread before the results was awful.

Waiting for the results felt close to terror.