Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective ominous differ from other similar words?

The words fateful and portentous are common synonyms of ominous. While all three words mean "having a menacing or threatening aspect," ominous implies having a menacing, alarming character foreshadowing evil or disaster.

ominous rumblings from the volcano

Where would fateful be a reasonable alternative to ominous?

The words fateful and ominous can be used in similar contexts, but fateful suggests being of momentous or decisive importance.

the fateful conference that led to war

When can portentous be used instead of ominous?

Although the words portentous and ominous have much in common, portentous suggests being frighteningly big or impressive but now seldom definitely connotes forewarning of calamity.

an eerie and portentous stillness

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 ominous And, true to its title, the film also encourages you to listen closely, particularly whenever an ominous, overpowering roar descends on the soundtrack, as if to suggest the reverberations of common bonds across time and space. Justin Chang, New Yorker, 20 May 2025 Iris’s granddaughter, Stefani Reyes (Kaitlyn Santa Juana), has been dreaming about that fateful evening in 1968 for weeks, unaware of its ominous significance. Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025 Diller found that out by doing a drive-by, following an ominous report from an exec. Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 19 May 2025 During the entire argument, no justice spoke up in defense of Trump’s order, an ominous sign for its future. Ella Lee, The Hill, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for ominous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ominous
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
Adjective
  • The latest Email Threat Trends Report from VIPRE paints a bleak picture.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
  • Related article Putin just called Trump’s bluff on Ukraine, with the Russian art of the ‘no’ deal Ukraine in 2025 is a bleak prospect.
    Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 19 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ominous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ominous. Accessed 27 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on ominous

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