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

On stage, the audience is the camera, peering into a cutaway of set designer Fly Davis’ ominous, two-story house, lit with foreboding foreshadowing by Anna Watson. — Frank Rizzo, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026

On his first appearance for Peak Oil, the Mancunian producer animates foreboding, percussive bass music with tricky details and Escherian grooves. — Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 30 July 2026

Adjective

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

The saxophone line in the film became a foreboding signal to viewers that something bad was about to happen. — Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 28 July 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