minatory

adjective

ˈmi-nə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce minatory (audio)
Definition of minatorynext
as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come the novel's protagonist is haunted by a minatory black specter

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of minatory Among the richest of the novel’s many pleasures are just such minor characters, including some irresistibly vain and grasping thespians and the minatory Appleby brothers, talent agents of sorts who shamelessly throw their considerable weight around. — Daniel Akst, WSJ, 15 Jan. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for minatory
  1. ominous
  2. sinister
  3. menacing
Adjective
  • The film fairly vibrates with ominous tension even in scenes in which seemingly nothing happens.
    — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The horror movie takes place in Vision’s mind-mansion, which Butcherbird has filled with red light, dark shadows, and ominous imagery.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of ominous
Adjective
  • Feathers McGraw, the sinister penguin villain from the Wallace & Gromit films, also makes a Hitchcockian cameo.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Other examples are more sinister—for instance, the far-right takeover of Croatian Wikipedia, or efforts by corporations to launder their images.
    — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of sinister
Adjective
  • The police spokesperson said Perez was taken into custody without incident and charged with menacing and criminal possession of a weapon.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The Melbourne duo taps into trip-hop’s essential strangeness on its latest album, trading the genre’s boilerplate languor for dejected moods, menacing auras, and slippery, all-consuming bass.
    — Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of menacing

Browse Nearby Words

miming
minatory
minaudière
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Cite this Entry

“Minatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/minatory. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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