sinister

[sin-uh-ster] / ˈsɪn ə stər /

ADJECTIVE

nasty, menacing

Synonyms

STRONGEST

dire evil malevolent mischievous ominous perverse threatening

WEAK

adverse apocalyptic bad baleful baneful blackhearted corrupt deleterious disastrous dishonest disquieting doomful foreboding harmful hurtful ill-boding inauspicious injurious lowering malefic malign malignant obnoxious pernicious poisonous portentous unfavorable unfortunate unlucky unpropitious woeful

Antonyms

STRONGEST

auspicious good lucky nice

WEAK

benevolent kind

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.

In Sergei Loznitsa’s new drama, stairwells are sinister.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

A more sinister figure lurks behind Rodriguez in interior and justice minister Diosdado Cabello, Pachon notes.

From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026

This fourth problem makes the first three look like sinister, rather than innocent, bureaucratic snafus.

From Salon • Mar. 5, 2026

Horning suspected something more sinister was at play.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026

Afterward they constructed a new face for him that gave him a sinister, ferocious appearance.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy