as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come
this many problems so early in the project is a most inauspicious sign
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Recent Examples of inauspicious
Rising tuition, the crushing burden of student loans, and the inauspicious job offers some students receive upon graduation prompt the question, for good reasons, and fuel the arguments among those who think that forgoing college is the smarter financial decision.
—
Judy D. Olian, TIME, 13 Mar. 2025
His verses evoke sacred rivers, fertile grounds and gardens bright with sinuous rills—a lyrical world beyond the inauspicious reality of its start-point.
—Natalie Hoberman, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
As the Mets turned their season around after an inauspicious spring, the song began playing on repeat through the clubhouse speakers following victories.
—The Editors, Curbed, 2 Dec. 2024
State of play: Jimmer Fredette's career at BYU got off to an inauspicious start.
—Ross Terrell, Axios, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inauspicious
Judy D. Olian, TIME, 13 Mar. 2025
His verses evoke sacred rivers, fertile grounds and gardens bright with sinuous rills—a lyrical world beyond the inauspicious reality of its start-point.
—Natalie Hoberman, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
As the Mets turned their season around after an inauspicious spring, the song began playing on repeat through the clubhouse speakers following victories.
—The Editors, Curbed, 2 Dec. 2024
State of play: Jimmer Fredette's career at BYU got off to an inauspicious start.
—Ross Terrell, Axios, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inauspicious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inauspicious
Adjective
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If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
11 May 2025
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Against this ominous backdrop, a small group of scientists is scrambling to preserve the ability to know how much carbon dioxide is in the atmosphere.—
Eric Morgan,
Wired News,
10 May 2025
Adjective
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Though it was written around the time of Malibu’s Woolsey fire, the 14-minute long dirge that encompasses flames in Malibu and a cougar that roams the hills took on a new and sinister meaning in the aftermath of the more recent fires.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
19 May 2025
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With the two men mismatched in temperament and direction, Diller was gone in a year and a half—fleeing one sinister Davis (Martin) for the arms of another, equally sinister one (Marvin), who controlled Twentieth Century Fox.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
19 May 2025
Adjective
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If the sky becomes menacing and thunder becomes audible, seek out a safe place to seek shelter.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
17 May 2025
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The movie itself is something of a trip; everything feels coated in a faint, menacing sheen of unreality, as if a slasher movie were just a wild twist or two away.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
16 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inauspicious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inauspicious. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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