dread

Dread means to feel very worried or scared about something that's going to happen.

When we think about dread, most of us can relate to feeling like this before a big test or an important presentation at work. We might lie awake at night thinking about it, replaying all the things that could go wrong. That's a common use of the word - to describe a strong feeling of anxiety or fear. For example, "I've been dreading this job interview for days" means you're feeling really nervous and worried about how it will turn out.

Interestingly, some people also talk about dread as a state of mind that comes with having something unpleasant hanging over their head. Think about being stuck in traffic or waiting for bad news from the doctor - these situations can make us feel like we're stuck in a state of dread. In this sense, dread isn't just about something specific happening, but more about feeling trapped or anxious because of it.