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.

If you read about the economic fallout from the Iran war, you’ll encounter an ominous phrase: demand destruction.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

Meanwhile, no date for the files' release has been set, and the statement from the Federal Intelligence Service about "conditions and requirements" sounds ominous to Wettstein.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

But what is most ominous is how little we know.

From MarketWatch • May 5, 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

He didn’t seem to notice their ominous surroundings, or if he did, he hid it far better.

From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas

Vocabulary lists containing ominous

100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know

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