bode ill

phrase

: to show or suggest that future developments or events will be unfavorable or unwelcome : to be a sign of trouble to come
Any further diminishing of the species' gene pool can only bode ill for the future.—John Hew Fanshawe

Examples of bode ill in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
This would seem to bode ill for behemoths like JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. — Morgan Chittum, Fortune, 7 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1639, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bode ill was in 1639

Rhymes for bode ill

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Browse Nearby Words

bodegon
bode ill
bodement
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Cite this Entry

“Bode ill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bode%20ill. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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