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
Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
The film is full of gorgeously expressionist black-and-white photography, stunning otherworldly production design, and a subtle sense of foreboding throughout that's one of the best the director has mustered in his illustrious career.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 4 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
The iconic saxophone line, in turn, became a foreboding warning to viewers that something bad was about to happen on screen.
—Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
The film is full of gorgeously expressionist black-and-white photography, stunning otherworldly production design, and a subtle sense of foreboding throughout that's one of the best the director has mustered in his illustrious career.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 4 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
-
What matters is the atmosphere Muir creates, which is as dark and ominous as that of any black-metal record, and even more unsettling for its alienness.—
Brad Sanders,
Pitchfork,
8 June 2026
-
If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
Of the big three, Modern is the only to have refused corporate buyouts and franchise expansions, preserving a classic mom-and-pop feel.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
Pale Blue-Gray Island With White Walls Mix a bluish-gray island with brass and cane accents for a coastal feel.—
Lauren Jones,
The Spruce,
6 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
-
Finding the police at our place, then, wasn’t really a surprise, and my pulse returned to its usual rhythm, oddly calmed by the fact that the dread had finally left my heart.—
Andrea Bajani,
New Yorker,
7 June 2026
-
The prospect of voters heading to the polls in November to decide whether to give themselves a break on their property taxes has put cities in South Florida and across the state on edge, triggering alarm and dread.—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
For years, solid-state batteries have been promoted as the next major breakthrough in electric vehicles, promising greater safety, longer driving range, and faster charging.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
8 June 2026
-
The SpotOn Nova Edition GPS dog collar is one of the latest entries in this growing category, promising to give dogs more freedom while helping owners maintain control and safety.—
Rachel Cortez,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
In the film, actress Midori Francis plays Hana, a medical student who becomes terrorized by a sinister force after partaking in the latest dieting fad — eating human ashes.—
Nicole Fell,
HollywoodReporter,
3 June 2026
-
Yet a sinister rage brews within the former chef, flickering alive with the smallest spark.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
3 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
-
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
-
While Bass remains widely viewed as the forerunner, recent polling suggests the race might be tightening heading into the final days before the June 2 primary.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Foreboding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foreboding. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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