foreboding

1 of 2

noun

fore·​bod·​ing (ˌ)fȯr-ˈbō-diŋ How to pronounce foreboding (audio)
: the act of one who forebodes
also : an omen, prediction, or presentiment especially of coming evil : portent
It seems that her forebodings were justified.

foreboding

2 of 2

adjective

: indicative of or marked by foreboding
forebodingly adverb
forebodingness noun

Examples of foreboding in a Sentence

Noun She was filled with a sense of foreboding. It seems that her forebodings were justified. Adjective foreboding clouds began to gather
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The soundtrack drones with foreboding; the McCain team look around nervously. James Parker, The Atlantic, 1 Oct. 2024 Yes, there’s a world where this nagging injury — this sense of foreboding — goes away. Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2024
Adjective
Gene Taylor, a former public official in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, when Hurricane Katrina made landfall there in 2005, offered another foreboding tip to people considering riding out a potentially deadly storm surge. Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 27 Sep. 2024 Set at the foreboding Nevermore Academy against a backdrop of eerie woods and mysterious old buildings, the series dishes out supernatural intrigue with high school drama. Janey Tracey, EW.com, 22 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for foreboding 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'foreboding.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1630, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of foreboding was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near foreboding

Cite this Entry

“Foreboding.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foreboding. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.

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