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
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Recent Examples of foreboding
Dan Heching, CNN Money, 27 Nov. 2025
His cadence pairs well with the foreboding nature of trap-dancehall production, and his Bronx roots only bolster the song’s claim to the title of new-age NYC anthem.
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 20 Nov. 2025
Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 15 Dec. 2025
Derek Hinkey’s character, the Shoshone warrior Red Feather, is almost always frowning at white settlers, looking undeniably foreboding with his face slathered in black paint and galloping on horseback into battle.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2025
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
By the end of this batch of episodes, the pair is still in the hospital and Holly is still missing, lost in a decidedly foreboding dreamscape.
—Dan Heching, CNN Money, 27 Nov. 2025
His cadence pairs well with the foreboding nature of trap-dancehall production, and his Bronx roots only bolster the song’s claim to the title of new-age NYC anthem.
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 20 Nov. 2025
Noun
Ineke Zeldenrust, international coordinator for the Clean Clothes Campaign, a witness signatory of the Accord, has long nursed a sense of foreboding about where worker safety is headed in Bangladesh.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 15 Dec. 2025
Derek Hinkey’s character, the Shoshone warrior Red Feather, is almost always frowning at white settlers, looking undeniably foreboding with his face slathered in black paint and galloping on horseback into battle.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Verb
Nile is skeletal like Jared Kushner; his thinness is foreboding, marking a disavowal of all that is sensual.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2025
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
-
But for now, his parting words were ominous.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The ominous silence is more evidence of a city mired in political intrigue with too little transparency.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The song is widely seen as a protest against the displacement of communities and the privatization of natural resources – issues that younger generations on the island feel are also happening in Puerto Rico.—
Rocio Munoz,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The subtropical feel allows for plenty of golf, walks on the beach, fishing, gardening, boating, and hiking, all of which are hobbies beloved by many retirees.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
If that is the case, the Ring Nebula could be a portent of what awaits Earth in around 5 billion years when the sun runs out of fuel for nuclear fusion and puffs out to become a red giant.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
19 Jan. 2026
-
Carol’s favorite, Bella Donna, does not carry the same dark portents.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
12 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The filmmaker leans pop-comic rather than petrifying in his final draft, opting for earnestness that smothers atmospheric dread.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
6 Feb. 2026
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In its worst forms, paranoia is a misapplication of the tools of attention, devotion, and care, scuttled by dread, the oppression of the unknown, and a lack of support.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Council of Fashion Designers and OpenAI are launching an Innovation Hub, a two-year initiative designed to bring together promising CFDA members and cutting-edge AI builders to drive innovation, creativity and growth across the fashion industry.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
9 Feb. 2026
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Echoes of Apple’s legendary ‘1984’ Super Bowl ad By drawing a hard line in the sand—promising no ads—Anthropic has executed a classic brand strategy, Galloway said.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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One of them has fashioned a sinister balaclava out of his cap and neck gaiter.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
31 Jan. 2026
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While the visual effect can be startling, there is nothing sinister at play.—
Ahmad Bajjey,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The premonition came true in the 36th minute.—
Colin Cerniglia,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Feb. 2026
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The movie tells the story of a group of people who are kicked off of a flight to Paris due to a fight which starts after one of the passengers has a premonition that the plane will explode midflight and kill everyone on board.—
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The forerunner of British Invasion took the summit of American entertainment, which was a huge deal across generations.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Manufactured between 1960 and 1980, Scouts were beefy 4x4s and a forerunner to the SUV.—
Justin Wingerter,
Denver Post,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Foreboding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foreboding. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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