1. a type of battleship with heavy-caliber guns all of the same size
Usage: nautical; historical
2. a fearless person
Usage: literary

Examples

• The HMS Dreadnought revolutionized naval warfare in 1906.
• Several dreadnoughts participated in the Battle of Jutland.
• The new dreadnought design made older battleships obsolete.
• He was a dreadnought who never backed down from a challenge.
• The captain was known as a dreadnought among his crew.
• Modern aircraft carriers have largely replaced the dreadnought.