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
Marissa Lorusso, Pitchfork, 16 Jan. 2026
While the first movie centered on the magic of the witches’ school days, the new film takes more of a foreboding tone.
—Rebecca Keegan, NBC news, 28 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
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
Its insistent guitar chug harks back to the indie rock of Bury Me at Makeout Creek, but the song doesn’t stay there for long, melting into a foreboding orchestral swell and chorus of wordless voices.
—Marissa Lorusso, Pitchfork, 16 Jan. 2026
While the first movie centered on the magic of the witches’ school days, the new film takes more of a foreboding tone.
—Rebecca Keegan, NBC news, 28 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
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,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Since Caesar's assassination, the Ides of March has been associated with other misfortune and doom, with several other ominous events taking place on March 15 throughout history.—
Kate Perez,
USA Today,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The guys in the desert have installed the Bulldogs as a touchdown favorite but this has the feel of a nail biter.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Mar. 2026
-
The yards are landscaped, but giant mossy oaks lend a woodsy feel.—
Christopher Spata,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
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That seemed a portent of more to come as the June primary inches ever closer.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2026
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That seemed a portent of more to come as the June primary inches ever closer.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This collection hums with multiracial dread, and explores the nuances of family making outside hegemony.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
16 Mar. 2026
-
One gets the sense, reading DuBois, that Stanton’s fervor for political action stemmed from a dread of being governed by idiots.—
Moira Donegan,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The early results are promising, though much remains unfinished.—
Richard Goldberg,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2026
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So naturally, host Conan O'Brien decided to welcome guests with a box full of snacks and a letter playfully promising a fun night to come.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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McTeigue created subtle variations on the mask so that V could look slightly more sinister or benevolent depending on the lighting.—
Matthew Huff,
IndieWire,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Iliopoulos demonstrates once again how the unwillingness of political authorities to respect an international treaty transforms both the native population and the newcomers into hostages of a sinister and clumsy social engineering project.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Add the power of premonition to the growing collection of Volantis’ gifts.—
David Eckert,
Austin American Statesman,
15 Mar. 2026
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The data in the new study validates these premonitions.—
Alex Hutchinson,
Outside,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Also like its forerunner, HBO’s latest ends each episode at a moment of peak tension.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
-
These were the forerunners of today’s robots.—
Munis Raza,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Foreboding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foreboding. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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