apprehension
/æp.ɹɪˈhɛn.ʃən/noun
A feeling of worry or dread about something bad that might happen.
Example sentences
- “She opened the letter from the bank with some apprehension.”
- “His apprehension about flying eased once the plane was in the air.”
Context does the work: it can mean dread, an arrest, or understanding. The dread sense dominates in ordinary prose.