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
  • The restaurant’s unfussy dining room is spiced with colorful murals, among them an ominous bathroom-door piece featuring a toilet spewing orange flames.
    — Ellen Fort, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 July 2026
  • These unusual conditions explain why Sara discovers an ominous dead saltwater fish inside the caves before the group encounters a much larger ocean creature.
    — Isadora Wandermurem, Time, 29 July 2026
Definition of ominous
Adjective
  • Like the initial story, Millie’s employers (Dunst and Kelly portray the spouses) are harboring a dark, sinister secret.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026
  • As Digital Digging's Henk Van Ess noted, however, this tool also opens the door for more sinister uses.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 31 July 2026
Definition of sinister
Adjective
  • However, things look very quiet for at least the next week or 10 days, and there is no evidence of a bunch of menacing tropical waves starting to emerge off the coast of Africa.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Thompson was arraigned from his hospital bed, pleading not guilty to menacing charges.
    — Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 4 Aug. 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 7 Aug. 2026.

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