ill-boding

adjective

ˈil-ˈbō-diŋ How to pronounce ill-boding (audio)
Definition of ill-bodingnext
as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come in an ill-boding turn of events, the government began rounding up political dissidents

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill-boding
  1. ominous
  2. sinister
  3. menacing
Adjective
  • Hong Kong — Days before Hong Kong socialite Abby Choi was killed, her father-in-law and brother-in-law allegedly went on an ominous shopping spree.
    — Chris Lau, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
  • And Jeremy is the handsome cipher, the seemingly long-suffering dreamboat of a husband who may or may not be harboring more ominous intentions.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of ominous
Adjective
  • Swift appears as a spectral figure trying to warn Johnson that, based on her own experience, her rich husband has more sinister intentions than his current bride imagines.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 4 Oct. 2026
  • And with its peaks and sharp angles, the home could morph from architectural wonder in the daylight to something more sinister in the shadows of the night.
    — Juliet Izon, Architectural Digest, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of sinister
Adjective
  • Similarly, the interplay enacted in the exhibition between Jafa’s and Prince’s work forces us as visitors to actively participate in a practice of juxtapositional thinking ourselves, producing a momentum that is at once menacing and enlivening.
    — Tina M. Campt, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Harassed all day by Minnesota's menacing pass rush, Baker Mayfield fled the pocket again — this time scrambling and weaving more 20 yards backward before launching a desperation heave that was intercepted.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of menacing
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

ill-beings
ill-boding
ill-bred
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Cite this Entry

“Ill-boding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill-boding. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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