foreboding

1 of 3

noun

fore·​bod·​ing (ˌ)fȯr-ˈbō-diŋ 

: 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 3

adjective

: indicative of or marked by foreboding

forebodingly

(ˌ)fȯr-ˈbō-diŋ-lē 

adverb

forebodingness noun

foreboding

3 of 3

present participle of forebode

Synonyms of foreboding

Noun

• feel
• premonition
• fear
• suspicion
• worry
• presentiment

Adjective

• ominous
• sinister
• menacing

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

But this morning an air of foreboding awakened me, and my little fishing barometer was already descending past the 29 mark. — Gerald R. Hunter, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026

In a departure from their previous work, the sonic landscape of the album is often dark and foreboding, matching the urgency of the political lyrics. — Vanessa Diaz, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2026

Adjective

Amid eerie war simulations, cutthroat competitions and foreboding new technology, four students are drawn together for a mysterious mission. — Jennifer Maas, Variety, 15 Sep. 2026

Since the animatronic shark frequently malfunctioned on set, Jaws was forced to merely suggest the creature’s foreboding presence with ominous first-person camerawork instead of showing the killer up close. — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1630, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for foreboding

• overloading
• boding
• coding
• goading
• loading
• roading
• corroding
• decoding
• downloading
• encoding
• eroding
• exploding