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
  • But Solomun has long had the Midas Touch, and under his watch, the hip-hop essential goes to the club while maintaining the same hypnotic, ominous vibe as the original.
    — Katie Bain, Billboard, 13 Nov. 2026
  • As the Financial Times reports, that move has now dragged the bank into an ominous loss of $7 billion between July and September, the company’s first quarterly loss in two years of business.
    — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of ominous
Adjective
  • The festival favorite horror film, which was acquired by IFC Films and Shudder, follows a dog’s mission to protect his sickly owner from a sinister supernatural force.
    — Jack Dunn, Variety, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Ganondorf is the ultimate example of this, with his visage keeping its cartoonishly sinister sharp angles and unnaturally green pallor.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of sinister
Adjective
  • As previously, this Air Jordan 3‘s exterior takes on a look that’s more menacing than festive.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 9 Nov. 2026
  • Garcia has a criminal history going back 20 years, including charges of assault, car theft, felony menacing and more.
    — Olivia Young, CBS News, 7 Nov. 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 15 Nov. 2026.

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