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
Adjective
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Though conventional in its concept (family moves into house, spirits possess family, paranormal investigators exorcize spirits), the movie's significance comes from its execution, which electrified audiences with ominous clapping hands and expert control of tension.—
Michael Lee Simpson,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Oct. 2025 -
Unwisely agreeing to go for a spin, Tony finds they’re soon tailed by an ominous black SUV.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Their double life soon gets complicated when a rival boy band harboring a sinister secret begins stealing their fans.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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Candyman, the Candyman franchise (1992–1999; 2021) Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen) finds out that adoration and horror don't mix when she is faced with the attachment of the sinister Candyman (Tony Todd) in the 1992 film classic.—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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But the action scenes never seem to galvanize, and somewhere along the line the predator, once a ruthless, unstoppable killing machine, has simply lost its menacing mojo.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
4 Nov. 2025
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Fanning knows exactly to add a slightly Pollyanna-ish aura to her opportunistic yet optimistic synthetic, as well as a cold, menacing vibe when playing her evil synth twin.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
4 Nov. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Ill-boding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill-boding. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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