as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come
foreboding clouds began to gather
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in feel
a feeling that something bad will happen
I have this strange foreboding that your ski vacation will not turn out well, so be extra careful
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in portent
something believed to be a sign or warning of a future event
used to think that if he saw a blackbird fly over his left shoulder it was a foreboding of harm
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in dread
suspicion or fear of future harm or misfortune
a pessimist who is always overcome by a sense of foreboding before flying on an airplane
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also forboding
as in promising
to show signs of a favorable or successful outcome
the dry summer doesn't forebode well for the harvest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of foreboding
Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 23 July 2025
The Season 2 finale keeps the characters in Seattle but with more foreboding aesthetics.
—Daron James, IndieWire, 27 May 2025
Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025
His artworks, which include paintings, sculptures, mixed-media assemblages, mosaics, photographs, and film, are full of mood and foreboding.
—Belinda Luscombe, Time, 31 Mar. 2025
Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 17 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foreboding
Adjective
Series creators even issued a foreboding warning imploring fans to refrain from online harassment as the angst of the season plays out.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 23 July 2025
The Season 2 finale keeps the characters in Seattle but with more foreboding aesthetics.
—Daron James, IndieWire, 27 May 2025
Noun
The series has so much escapist potential in its initial episodes, poking at the absurdities of abundant wealth and ladling in so much silly foreboding, only to squander it because the series is unable to create anything resembling an emotional payoff.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025
His artworks, which include paintings, sculptures, mixed-media assemblages, mosaics, photographs, and film, are full of mood and foreboding.
—Belinda Luscombe, Time, 31 Mar. 2025
Verb
Despite the seemingly sweet resolution to their storyline (and an ostensibly upbeat last line of dialogue), there’s a strange undercurrent to the Nagisa and Natsuo segment that suggests foreboding as much as potential happiness — a mysterious tension befitting the creator that Miyake is adapting.
—Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 17 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foreboding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foreboding
Adjective
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If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
24 Sep. 2025
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As the ominous clip made its way across social media platforms, many users on TikTok shared various reactions to the religious message.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Throw it over a floral midi dress with tall boots, pair it with dark denim, or style it with leggings and ballet flats for an off-duty feel.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
22 Sep. 2025
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But perhaps the most California feature about the store is the interior architecture and layout, which Marino described as less residential and formal in feel than other Dior flagships.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Keane, though, sees nothing but disaster ahead, a portent presaged by some of the film’s most enduring images, like a stretch limo with a flat tire and a steam room littered with empty champagne bottles.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
5 Sep. 2025
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As portents go, after a testing summer for Newcastle, this did not look altogether positive.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
In this case, there’s that feeling of dread.—
Josh Weiss,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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Yeah, there’s just a dread, isn’t there?—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Over the weekend, his foxy friend Pete Hegseth announced a new policy that requires journalists with Pentagon press credentials to sign a pledge promising not to report information that hasn't been explicitly authorized for release, that includes unclassified information.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
24 Sep. 2025
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Still, there were promising signs below the surface and team-wide trends that explain that downtick.—
The Athletic NHL,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Unfortunately, things take a sinister turn when Laura's followers enter the room, undress, and begin passing the baby around.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Sep. 2025
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What starts as a strained father-daughter relationship soon evolves into something far more sinister.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The earlier photo feels like a premonition.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Sep. 2025
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How did their mother deal with this premonition?—
Stephen Schaefer,
Boston Herald,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Schuyler, who a decade ago sold her company, Epitome Pictures, to DHX Media, a forerunner of Wild Brain Entertainment, was not available for comment on Wednesday.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Sep. 2025
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There are two countries on the world stage that stand out as the forerunners in the AI race: the U.S. and China.—
Ryan Browne,
CNBC,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Foreboding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foreboding. Accessed 28 Sep. 2025.
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