1
as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come
a dark, baleful sky portending a tornado
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in adverse
causing or capable of causing harm
contends that the violent content of so much of popular entertainment is a baleful influence on our society
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in lethal
likely to cause or capable of causing death
a medicine that is beneficial in small doses but baleful in large
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of baleful
The baleful stare that was such a part of Foreman’s first act as a boxer and public personality was missing, replaced by a look of mischief.
—
Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2025
But Donald Trump’s tariff attacks on Canada—and, even more, his insistence that the country should be incorporated as the fifty-first state—may halt this slow drift into the United States’ baleful orbit, at least for now.
—Bill McKibben, The New Yorker, 7 Mar. 2025
Women are thought of as contaminants in the heya and arm candy outside it; the sponsors exert a baleful commercial pressure on the fighters.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2025
At another, this baleful ribbon emanates from the shell of a totaled BMW 325iS, the very model of car once associated in the region with gang terror — elsewhere shown cruising and spinning on dusty roads, like urban harbingers of doom amid rural tranquility.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 23 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for baleful
Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2025
But Donald Trump’s tariff attacks on Canada—and, even more, his insistence that the country should be incorporated as the fifty-first state—may halt this slow drift into the United States’ baleful orbit, at least for now.
—Bill McKibben, The New Yorker, 7 Mar. 2025
Women are thought of as contaminants in the heya and arm candy outside it; the sponsors exert a baleful commercial pressure on the fighters.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2025
At another, this baleful ribbon emanates from the shell of a totaled BMW 325iS, the very model of car once associated in the region with gang terror — elsewhere shown cruising and spinning on dusty roads, like urban harbingers of doom amid rural tranquility.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 23 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for baleful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for baleful
Adjective
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If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Aug. 2025
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After an ominous July jobs report – which also showed that hiring was much weaker than originally reported in May and June – the central bank was widely expected to cut interest rates at its meeting next month in a bid to recharge hiring.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Many models struggle to operate in adverse weather conditions, and drones have weight limits for parcels.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
14 Aug. 2025
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The maintenance of a favorable risk-reward ratio over a shorter timeframe of 5 years is promising for retirement accounts – mitigating the risk of liquidation (if necessary) during adverse drawdown scenarios.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Whether that lethal combination continues moving forward, time will tell.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
13 Aug. 2025
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The prosecuting attorney for the 23rd Judicial District has ruled that two Cabot Police Department officers were justified in using lethal force in a May incident that didn't result in death or injury, the Arkansas State Police announced Tuesday.—
Daniel McFadin,
Arkansas Online,
12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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For The Fin, his team worked to make the dim light extra grainy, giving it a particularly sinister quality.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Aug. 2025
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This turns out to be another name for Galactus, a surprisingly scary Marvel villain played with sinister sincerity by Ralph Ineson.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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All of which are made from lightweight, dishwasher-safe plastic that’s free of harmful chemicals.—
Anja Webb,
Parents,
8 Aug. 2025
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These tools can help detect harmful symbols, explicit imagery or copyright violations before content is published.—
Anees Ali Khan,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Police chases in Milwaukee have become increasingly deadly Police pursuits are so frequent, Milwaukee officers engage in between two and three every day, according to a city report in 2024.—
JR Radcliffe,
jsonline.com,
9 Aug. 2025
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Eric Cyprian, 48, is charged with domestic battery resulting in serious bodily injury, domestic battery by means of a deadly weapon, pointing a firearm at another, and two misdemeanors, domestic battery and cruelty to an animal.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The previous version of the immersive attraction brought guests face to face with the terrifying flickering TV screen, the menacing beast from beyond, and the pool filled with floating corpses.—
Simon Thompson,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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The menacing attacker — described as 6′ to 6’2″ and wearing a black t-shirt, blue pants and tan shoes — took off north on Madison Ave.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Air pollution of all forms can be detrimental to health, but the tiny particles in smoke are particularly pernicious.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
13 Aug. 2025
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Losing Love for any stretch of time would be detrimental to the Packers' season.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Baleful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/baleful. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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