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.

“I was fundamentally distrustful of pretty much everyone who was reaching out,” said Parsons, who assumed that Hollywood producers didn’t understand the subcultural fascination with ominous “liminal spaces.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026

It sounds ominous, but does it signal something new?

From BBC • May 26, 2026

Another ominous parallel comes from the top of the internet bubble in March 2000.

From MarketWatch • May 26, 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

We hear an accusatory voice coming from above us, along with some urgent footsteps that create an ominous vibration.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer

Vocabulary lists containing ominous

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