1
as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come
an eerie and portentous stillness hung over the camp the night before the battle
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wonderful
causing wonder or astonishment
in 1969 people regarded the first landing on the moon as a truly portentous event
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of portentous
Another is about death itself and the portentous ride to the other side.
—
Sezin Devi Keohler,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Mar. 2026
Some of the big portentous moments are underscored with heavy soundtrack music composed by Billy Bivona.
—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
21 Feb. 2026
Yet signs of a portentous ideological shift started to appear almost a quarter century ago, after 9/11.
—
Jason Blakely,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Much like the film lingers on the cold northern landscape, Obomsawin’s music is laced with portentous silences and unresolved harmonies.
—
Andrew Gilbert,
Mercury News,
6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for portentous
Sezin Devi Keohler,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Mar. 2026
Some of the big portentous moments are underscored with heavy soundtrack music composed by Billy Bivona.
—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
21 Feb. 2026
Yet signs of a portentous ideological shift started to appear almost a quarter century ago, after 9/11.
—
Jason Blakely,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Much like the film lingers on the cold northern landscape, Obomsawin’s music is laced with portentous silences and unresolved harmonies.
—
Andrew Gilbert,
Mercury News,
6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for portentous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portentous
Adjective
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If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.
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Listening to most records felt shaky, ominous, like reintroducing food after a stomach bug.
Adjective
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So many wonderful dinners with friends and nights out on the town.
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Soccer – football in much of the world – has a long and wonderful tradition of singing, whether that be in praise of their favorite players, mocking opponents (sometimes, brutally so) or simply urging their team forward.
Adjective
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Disclosure Day sees Daniel (O'Connor) and Margaret (Blunt) racing to evade the sinister Wardex corporation with the ultimate goal of disclosure.
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Over the past decade, Pride Nights have morphed into something much larger, radical and sinister, in my opinion.
Adjective
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The adjacent riverfront area has seen astonishing growth and improvements, with a two-mile-long stretch of pedestrian paths, parks and other green space, and an event pavilion.
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According to a comprehensive reporting analysis published by the Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance, an astonishing 79% of public companies actually increased their page counts after the rule went into effect, and 64% increased the total number of individual risk factors disclosed.
Adjective
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The yin and yang found in 21 Savage’s menacing whispers over the bass and drums, derivative of Tay Keith’s style, and his stark threats over Metro Boomin’s familiar keys create atmospheric success.
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Fryer, who lives in Clifton, is now charged with assault, menacing and reckless endangerment.
Adjective
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Three children were among those pulled to safety in a miraculous rescue that aired on state television.
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Instead, Marsh’s bomb opened the flood gates for the Phillies to score eight runs in the top of the ninth inning to absolutely stun the Nationals and its home crowd in a miraculous 14-9 victory on Tuesday night.
Adjective
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And the locations are amazing — the shootout occurs at the fort of Sant’Andrea that nobody really knows anything about in Venice.
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Lego is amazing, and Lego Star Wars in particular.
Adjective
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South Africa was runner-up in Group A, also with four points, including a surprising win over South Korea.
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The boisterousness seeps away, replaced by a surprising vulnerability.
Cite this Entry
“Portentous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portentous. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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