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.

But what is most ominous is how little we know.

From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026

If the US guidance was meant as an offer of information and advice to vessels and crew, that may be of little help given Iran's ominous threats to attack them.

From BBC • May 4, 2026

Yet the fact that major parts of the market saw their best months since the ominous years of 2020 and 2000 should tell investors we are not dealing with normal market conditions.

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

Certainly not the one you have in mind: bandaged dead guy, ominous hieroglyphics, maybe Brendan Fraser.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

The intrusion of this ominous meaning creates an extraordinary tension with the dispassionate investigation of the target’s formal qualities.

From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson

Vocabulary lists containing ominous

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