as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come
foreboding clouds began to gather
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in feel
a feeling that something bad will happen
I have this strange foreboding that your ski vacation will not turn out well, so be extra careful
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in portent
something believed to be a sign or warning of a future event
used to think that if he saw a blackbird fly over his left shoulder it was a foreboding of harm
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in dread
suspicion or fear of future harm or misfortune
a pessimist who is always overcome by a sense of foreboding before flying on an airplane
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also forboding
as in promising
to show signs of a favorable or successful outcome
the dry summer doesn't forebode well for the harvest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of foreboding
Russell Muirhead, Foreign Affairs, 23 Jan. 2025
An ember doesn’t choose its path based on property value or paparazzi presence, and when one part of Los Angeles burns, foreboding smoke hangs over the whole metro area.
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 24 Jan. 2025
Michael Santoli, CNBC, 14 Dec. 2024
His aunts offered us tortillas to warm our hands while his uncle expressed dark forebodings about our chances of success.
—Kayla Aletha Welch, Longreads, 19 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for foreboding
Adjective
For those who oppose Trump’s policies, this is what makes Trump’s second term more foreboding than the first.
—Russell Muirhead, Foreign Affairs, 23 Jan. 2025
An ember doesn’t choose its path based on property value or paparazzi presence, and when one part of Los Angeles burns, foreboding smoke hangs over the whole metro area.
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 24 Jan. 2025
Noun
Mid- to late-cycle expansions don’t need to draw fuel from a deep reservoir of fear and foreboding, the way early-cycle recoveries do.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 14 Dec. 2024
His aunts offered us tortillas to warm our hands while his uncle expressed dark forebodings about our chances of success.
—Kayla Aletha Welch, Longreads, 19 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for foreboding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foreboding
Adjective
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Although the change sounds ominous, the option only worked on three devices: the 4th generation Echo Dot, the Echo Show 10 and the Echo Show 15.—
Andrew Torgan,
CNN,
23 Mar. 2025
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The ominous outlook sent FedEx shares down nearly 10 percent in Friday morning trading.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Here, oversized glass and metal pendants paired with black accents and industrial finishes gives the rustic kitchen a distinctly modern feel.—
Emily Williams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Mar. 2025
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Their frequent appearances conjure an intimate feel, like gaming and smoking with your friends during an all-night session.—
Mosi Reeves,
Rolling Stone,
17 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Weinstein’s thuggish joke was just one portent of the edgy, borderline sinister air that permeated the party from the very beginning.—
Scott Huver,
The Hollywood Reporter,
28 Feb. 2025
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The slogan could also be seen as a portent of Netflix’s continued dominance of the modern entertainment industry.—
Adam B. Vary,
Variety,
30 Jan. 2025
Noun
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And Answers For Thursday, March 20 Design your location deliberately Live somewhere that inspires you, not fills you with dread.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes,
20 Mar. 2025
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Its wartime atmosphere gives it a sense of dread all its own and its set pieces are all doozies, especially the Statue of Liberty climax.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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As one manifestation of Carter’s commitment, his administration began to oppose loans from international financial institutions to rights-abusing governments, promising to provide financial support only after these countries demonstrated concrete improvements on human rights.—
Michael Posner,
Forbes,
6 Jan. 2025
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Was Knies’ promising rookie season not necessarily a sign of things to come?—
Joshua Kloke,
The Athletic,
5 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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When powered on, the TV reveals four children apparently trapped inside and held captive by sinister forces.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
19 Mar. 2025
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The new Rhino release amplifies the darkness, letting every sinister detail seethe to the surface.—
Darryn King,
Forbes,
15 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Rylance as Cromwell winces at the spectacle, a premonition of his own future.—
Taylor Antrim,
Vogue,
20 Mar. 2025
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So maybe the first half was more an aberration than a premonition.—
Joe Rexrode,
The Athletic,
23 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The notable feature of this particular death factory was its use of gas vans, a forerunner to the larger, more impersonal gas chambers built at Auschwitz-Birkenau, Belzec, Sobibor, and Treblinka.—
Josh Weiss,
Forbes,
17 Mar. 2025
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In 1914, Frank Newman opened the Royal Theatre which was a forerunner to movie palaces in the city, a significant departure from nickelodeons.—
Michael Wells,
Kansas City Star,
28 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Foreboding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foreboding. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
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