foreboding

1 of 2

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 2

adjective

: indicative of or marked by foreboding

forebodingly

(ˌ)fȯr-ˈbō-diŋ-lē 

adverb

forebodingness noun

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

As a result, the duo has written an exposé chock-full of anecdotes and reporting that range from the foreboding and concerning to the voyeuristic and absurd. — Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026

After dazzling in their opening match of this World Cup and dispatching Croatia 4-2, some felt a sense of foreboding when Ghana held Thomas Tuchel’s side to a 0-0 draw in their second. — Liam Tharme, New York Times, 30 June 2026

Adjective

After their final payment to an agency in Sofia, fronted by a foreboding redhead equipped with a mechanical smile and a calculator, Russia invades Ukraine. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2026

Earle’s approach, after all, is designed to transport us, to place us in lush, fairy-tale-like environments that contain an ever-so-slightly foreboding atmosphere. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 14 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