as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come
foreboding clouds began to gather
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in feel
a feeling that something bad will happen
I have this strange foreboding that your ski vacation will not turn out well, so be extra careful
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in portent
something believed to be a sign or warning of a future event
used to think that if he saw a blackbird fly over his left shoulder it was a foreboding of harm
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in dread
suspicion or fear of future harm or misfortune
a pessimist who is always overcome by a sense of foreboding before flying on an airplane
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also forboding
as in promising
to show signs of a favorable or successful outcome
the dry summer doesn't forebode well for the harvest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of foreboding
Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2025
As well as that, there's a foreboding shot of Galactus casting his considerable shadow over New York City.
—Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 4 Feb. 2025
Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Jan. 2025
Mid- to late-cycle expansions don’t need to draw fuel from a deep reservoir of fear and foreboding, the way early-cycle recoveries do.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 14 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for foreboding
Adjective
The music is eerier, and the environment seems more foreboding.
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2025
As well as that, there's a foreboding shot of Galactus casting his considerable shadow over New York City.
—Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 4 Feb. 2025
Noun
But they are also weighted with foreboding, especially as Carter asks her to perform stranger acts.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Jan. 2025
Mid- to late-cycle expansions don’t need to draw fuel from a deep reservoir of fear and foreboding, the way early-cycle recoveries do.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 14 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for foreboding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foreboding
Adjective
-
If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
11 May 2025
-
Against this ominous backdrop, a small group of scientists is scrambling to preserve the ability to know how much carbon dioxide is in the atmosphere.—
Eric Morgan,
Wired News,
10 May 2025
Noun
-
As thousands of families poured into the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the University of Southern California’s main-stage commencement on Thursday night, the scene had the feel of the usual collegiate event held there: a football game.—
Daniel Miller,
Los Angeles Times,
16 May 2025
-
The square back is timeless, and the oversized, curved, and rolled arms give it a delicate feel that balances out the sharper lines of the back.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
15 May 2025
Noun
-
And the portents were not just in Henderson’s and Nuzzo’s paper.—
David Zweig,
The Atlantic,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Matthew stresses royalty, prefacing the birth with heavenly portents; afterward, Magi bear royal gifts to a future king.—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
At night, the power was often cut, and guards would scream threats into the darkness, heightening dread and disorientation.—
Antonio Maria Delgado,
Miami Herald,
20 May 2025
-
Anxiety is a feeling of fear and dread, often triggered by stressful situations, uncertainty, and perceived threats.12 People whose anxiety does not go away or gets worse over time may have an anxiety disorder.—
Emmanuella Ogbonna,
Health,
19 May 2025
Verb
-
As one manifestation of Carter’s commitment, his administration began to oppose loans from international financial institutions to rights-abusing governments, promising to provide financial support only after these countries demonstrated concrete improvements on human rights.—
Michael Posner,
Forbes,
6 Jan. 2025
-
Was Knies’ promising rookie season not necessarily a sign of things to come?—
Joshua Kloke,
The Athletic,
5 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
With the two men mismatched in temperament and direction, Diller was gone in a year and a half—fleeing one sinister Davis (Martin) for the arms of another, equally sinister one (Marvin), who controlled Twentieth Century Fox.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
19 May 2025
-
Though it was written around the time of Malibu’s Woolsey fire, the 14-minute long dirge that encompasses flames in Malibu and a cougar that roams the hills took on a new and sinister meaning in the aftermath of the more recent fires.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
19 May 2025
Noun
-
Malone’s premonition was not enough to stop the flood, even if the timeout sent a blunt message.—
Bennett Durando,
The Denver Post,
28 Jan. 2025
-
His music is often haunted by death — premonitions that, in his case, proved correct.—
Hannah Edgar,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
While his Late Night forerunner Letterman was probably the comedic polestar of Generation X—gruff, cynical, and biting the hand that fed—O’Brien became a bedrock influence for the next generation of Millennial comics.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2025
-
The New York Dolls were forerunners of punk, and the band's style -- teased hair, women's clothes and lots of makeup -- inspired the glam movement that took up residence in heavy metal a decade later in bands like Faster Pussycat and Mötley Crüe.—
MARK KENNEDY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
arkansasonline.com,
2 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Foreboding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foreboding. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share