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.

At the same time, productivity growth is slowing—an ominous trend when the country’s population is falling.

From The Wall Street Journal

Tuesday’s jobs report was the latest ominous sign in an era of big corporate layoff announcements and CEOs warning that AI will replace workers.

From The Wall Street Journal

The marriage’s past spools out with such clarity that what they have for breakfast becomes ominous.

From Los Angeles Times

You make the Fed slowing QT sound ominous, but isn’t that good news?

From MarketWatch

Another study with the ominous title “Canaries in the Coal Mine?” looked at employment for early-career workers in occupations highly exposed to artificial intelligence.

From MarketWatch

ominous

Example Sentences

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