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
Annie Hylton, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
This year’s Cannes Film Festival is already beginning to feel slightly foreboding.
—Rachel Handler, Vulture, 12 May 2026
Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
None more so than her best friend, Liza, who is haunted by the foreboding last words Jane said to her.
—Air Mail, 11 Apr. 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
Amar felt something more foreboding.
—Annie Hylton, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
This year’s Cannes Film Festival is already beginning to feel slightly foreboding.
—Rachel Handler, Vulture, 12 May 2026
Noun
That’s not to say the decisions were easy and lacked a sense of foreboding.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
None more so than her best friend, Liza, who is haunted by the foreboding last words Jane said to her.
—Air Mail, 11 Apr. 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,
22 June 2026
-
Listening to most records felt shaky, ominous, like reintroducing food after a stomach bug.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
Noun
-
The Hedges’ redesign aims to balance contemporary comforts with historic character, offering a residential feel and hospitality for locals and visitors.—
Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
-
Sleek sandals will add a luxe feel while on-trend sneakers deliver an edgy, more casual vibe.—
Jennifer Hussein,
InStyle,
20 June 2026
Noun
-
In the shadows of the long-hut, the elders muttered among themselves—of portents and crops and weather and the storage of grain.—
Maggie O’Farrell,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
-
That Mann and his daughter, at a posh Frankfurt hotel party, glimpse so many remnants of the Nazi era — including Erika’s ex-husband, who collaborated with the regime — is another portent of darkness.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Only rush-hour traffic and $20 tacos inspire the same level of dread.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
22 June 2026
-
The long and painful rehab would have interfered with his writing; the dread of leaving behind an incomplete manuscript outweighed the benefit of a few extra months.—
Griffin Dunne,
Vulture,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
Opponents of selling artifacts recovered from the wreckage say the company is bound by a 1990s agreement that gave RMS Titanic exclusive salvage rights to the ship in exchange for promising to never sell those items.—
Patrick Whittle,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2026
-
Netflix is promising to take it much further, globally in fact, as the streamer picked the film up out of Cannes and will be shepherding through awards season as well.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
22 June 2026
Adjective
-
At the very least, they are connected to a sinister entity that preys on the minds of its victims.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 June 2026
-
There’s been something sinister afoot in provincial France in recent years.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
Retroactively, they were interpreted as premonitions of the 1994 violence that saw many thousands of locals, primarily Tutsis, massacred at the hands of Hutu Génocidaires.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
26 May 2026
-
The actress previously recalled having a bizarre premonition before director Sam Pinkleton even called her about the role.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
The group, which includes Chrysler, Fiat, Peugeot and Citroen, is becoming a forerunner in the promising progress of a new type of vehicle battery.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
15 June 2026
-
In 2007, the Oatley family opened Qualia, their 30-acre flagship property and the forerunner of Australia’s luxury lodges.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Foreboding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foreboding. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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