I had a bad dream and woke up scared.

Meaning: This sentence means that I had a nightmare that made me feel scared when I woke up.

Choice of Words: Bad means not good or unpleasant. Dream means a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep. Scared means feeling fear or alarm. When you put them together, it means that the dream made me feel frightened.

Alternative Expressions

I dreamt badly and awoke in fear.

Meaning: This sentence has the same meaning as the first sentence, but it uses more formal language.

Choice of Words: Dreamt is the past tense of the verb dream. Badly is an adverb that describes how something is done in a negative way. Awoke is the past tense of the verb awake, which means to become awake from sleep. In fear is a prepositional phrase that describes the state of being afraid.

My slumber was disturbed by a nightmare, causing me to awaken with trepidation.

Meaning: This sentence has the same meaning as the first sentence, but it uses more sophisticated language.

Choice of Words: Slumber is a noun that refers to sleep. Disturbed is an adjective that describes something that has been interrupted or disrupted. Nightmare is a noun that refers to a frightening dream. Causing is a verb that describes the action of making something happen. Awaken is the past tense of the verb awake, which means to become awake from sleep. Trepidation is a noun that refers to a feeling of fear or anxiety.

Related Expressions