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Showing results for ominous.
Definitions

ominous

[om-uh-nuhs] / ˈɒm ə nəs /
ADJECTIVE
menacing, foreboding
Synonyms
STRONGEST
apocalyptic dangerous dark dire dismal gloomy grim haunting perilous portentous prophetic sinister threatening
WEAK
augural baleful baneful clouded direful doomed doomful fateful fearful forbidding hostile ill-boding ill-fated impending inauspicious inhospitable lowering malefic malificent malign minatory precursive premonitory presaging prescient suggestive unfriendly unlucky unpromising unpropitious
Antonyms
STRONGEST
bright cheerful encouraging good happy hopeful joyful light nice pleasant safe secure sunny
WEAK
auspicious lucky promising propitious

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The parallels with the 1970s are ominous: Inflation surges and then retreats but gets stuck a bit too high.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Would he even want to walk into such an ominous situation?

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

More ominous is the movement in the bond market’s expectations of where inflation is headed.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026

The shellacking that big bank stocks have taken as of late could be an ominous sign about what’s next for the economy.

From Barron's • Mar. 18, 2026

The creature paced slowly in front of Hibiscus, casting an ominous shadow over his body.

From "Pet" by Akwaeke Emezi

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.