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
Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 11 Mar. 2026
The dark and foreboding furniture in this room had been inherited from the grandparents Clara had never met, and her mother hated it.
—Literary Hub, 2 Mar. 2026
Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 24 Mar. 2026
Deacon chose not to score the series with the kind of ominous, foreboding tones common to true-crime documentaries.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 13 Mar. 2026
Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
The windowless hallways are narrow in the federal building that houses this immigration court, and the agents’ stocky bodies are foreboding in the tight corridors.
—Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN Money, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foreboding
Adjective
Nonetheless, the company’s foreboding forecast highlights a rapidly changing labor landscape as colleges and universities face an existential threat, undermining the value of degrees.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 11 Mar. 2026
The dark and foreboding furniture in this room had been inherited from the grandparents Clara had never met, and her mother hated it.
—Literary Hub, 2 Mar. 2026
Noun
Tech executives have offered foreboding visions of the future of work due to AI, with ServiceNow CEO Bill McDermott predicting unemployment will exceed 30% in a matter of years.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 24 Mar. 2026
Deacon chose not to score the series with the kind of ominous, foreboding tones common to true-crime documentaries.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
There was no obvious precipitating event, but the encroachment of Grok seemed foreboding.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
The windowless hallways are narrow in the federal building that houses this immigration court, and the agents’ stocky bodies are foreboding in the tight corridors.
—Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN Money, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foreboding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foreboding
Adjective
-
If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
11 May 2026
-
Also, as the only foreigners present in significant numbers, the North Koreans sent an ominous message about the current state of Russia’s alliances.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2026
Noun
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When time with her feels threatened, even well-meaning offers can land the wrong way.—
Jann Blackstone,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2026
-
Free bikes, kayaks, and breakfast create an all-inclusive feel.—
Jess Hoffert,
Midwest Living,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
The company’s example was seen by many as a portent of the AI future.—
Geoff Colvin,
Fortune,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Rather than receiving traditional care, however, Hylton was unwittingly plunged into a cold experiment in using remote work to offset hospital staffing shortages, which could be a grim portent in an age of AI automation.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
After three seasons of almost nothing but dread and sorrow, the NBA’s most woebegone franchise, for generations, finally had a moment to celebrate.—
David Aldridge,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
-
After his teenage son goes missing, Daniel combs the depths of the Vistula River day and night, caught in a grueling, endless routine and torn between the dread of a fatal leap and the fragile hope that his son may still be alive.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
This year has a list of buzzy projects that seem promising on paper.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
11 May 2026
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That’s why communities aren’t satisfied with data centers promising that construction-phase water consumption represents temporary peak usage.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
11 May 2026
Adjective
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These forces would collide on the Near West Side on a spring evening, against the backdrop of labor unrest, union activity and a hint of influence from a sinister anarchist movement.—
Michael Peregrine,
Chicago Tribune,
4 May 2026
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In terms of all-time hero's journeys, his is up there, from his humble beginnings on Tatooine to learning of his sinister dad to becoming a Jedi master to sacrificing himself to help the Resistance.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
Again, people have premonitions.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
4 May 2026
-
At the snap, Wake Forest defensive back Davaughn Patterson fulfilled Joly’s premonition, moving quickly toward the line of scrimmage in an effort to interrupt the tight end’s route out of the backfield.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Noun
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Las Damas was founded in May 1948 and put on the Beachcomber’s Carnival, a forerunner of the Sunset Beach Art Festival, in July of that year.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
7 May 2026
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The brand was also a forerunner with exclusive collaborations.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Foreboding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foreboding. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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