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Synonym Chooser

How is the word baleful different from other adjectives like it?

The words malign and sinister are common synonyms of baleful. While all three words mean "seriously threatening evil or disaster," baleful imputes perniciousness or destructiveness to something whether working openly or covertly.

exerting a corrupt and baleful influence

In what contexts can malign take the place of baleful?

The words malign and baleful are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, malign applies to what is inherently evil or harmful.

the malign effects of racism

When would sinister be a good substitute for baleful?

The words sinister and baleful can be used in similar contexts, but sinister suggests a general or vague feeling of fear or apprehension on the part of the observer.

a sinister aura haunts the place

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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 According to this view, in spite of the baleful impact of the Jewish people as a whole, rare Jewish individuals could stand out. Gregory Fried, Foreign Affairs, 17 Oct. 2014 See All Example Sentences for baleful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for baleful
Adjective
  • Stay vigilant by monitoring the sky for ominous signs and listening for the telltale sound of thunder.
    Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Headlines about Social Security are equally ominous.
    Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The specialty retailer’s chief financial officer, Robert Ball, said Abercrombie has seen about $5 million in adverse impact from tariffs during the second quarter, chiefly manifested in the cost of sales, and expects $90 million net impact from tariffs for the year.
    Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 4 Sep. 2025
  • This tool helps with reading, writing, summarizing, adverse-event profile reviews, label comparisons, clinical protocol assessments, and even generating database code.
    Sixteen Ramos, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • This mix of impulsivity and ambivalence highlights why a safe environment – without access to firearms or other lethal methods – can be the difference between life and death for someone in crisis.
    Emmy Betz, The Conversation, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Executions are on hold in Idaho as the state prison system remodels its execution chamber in the transition from lethal injection to a firing squad as the lead method.
    Kevin Fixler September 5, Idaho Statesman, 5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Normally, that would be a recipe for some edge-of-your-seat action, although Ben Hopkins’ script makes clear early on that the bomb is just a distraction, while an even more sinister plot is ticking within the blast radius.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
  • However, when Jess senses something sinister and then mysteriously disappears, Frida must uncover the truth before meeting the same fate.
    Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • According to a five-pillar plan shared with CNBC, Cruz also aims to create federal standards for AI, prevent AI from being used in harmful ways such as scams, allow free speech and address ethical concerns.
    Emily Wilkins, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Nonfiction narratives that students both read and produce serve as counter-narratives to the oppressive and harmful tropes in media more generally about Black girls and girlhood.
    The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Over the past 48 hours, Nepal has been rocked by deadly mass protests led by young people who are frustrated over the country's leadership.
    Juliana Kim, NPR, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Rip currents are the deadliest of surf-zone dangers, making up the majority of deaths among beach swimmers every year, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The bow-sided square manages to harness its own racing legacy, Steve McQueen et al, while still appearing contemporary in its slightly menacing dark suit.
    Thor Svaboe, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2025
  • If the sky becomes menacing and thunder becomes audible, seek out a safe place to seek shelter.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, from an AI duality perspective, there is also a solid chance that AI can be detrimental to mental health.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • These die-offs have caused detrimental imbalances within the habitats.
    Lauren Liebhaber September 5, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Baleful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/baleful. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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