as in sinister
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come
that comment about downsizing from the company president sounded ominous
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Recent Examples of ominous
Despite the ominous warning, French’s TikTok is mostly framed as a form of self-care.
—
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 7 Jan. 2026
Although filming of the eighth and final season is already in the can, star Sam Heughan confesses that even the cast doesn't know the show's true conclusion, including the fate of his character Jamie Fraser, which has been repeatedly teased as rather ominous.
—Jillian Sederholm, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Jan. 2026
If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 3 Jan. 2026
The wave of exits could be particularly ominous for Republicans in charge of the House and Senate.
—Sudiksha Kochi, The Hill, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ominous
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 7 Jan. 2026
Although filming of the eighth and final season is already in the can, star Sam Heughan confesses that even the cast doesn't know the show's true conclusion, including the fate of his character Jamie Fraser, which has been repeatedly teased as rather ominous.
—Jillian Sederholm, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Jan. 2026
If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 3 Jan. 2026
The wave of exits could be particularly ominous for Republicans in charge of the House and Senate.
—Sudiksha Kochi, The Hill, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ominous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ominous
Adjective
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But as old tensions flare between them, Katie begins to experience terrifying visions and a ghostly presence warning of something sinister lurking aboard.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
6 Nov. 2025
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Which casts a show seemingly designed to bypass all judgments with respect to storytelling and taste, gliding straight to the pleasure center of some imaginary horny, enraged, shopaholic feminine id, in a fairly sinister light.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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If the sky becomes menacing and thunder becomes audible, seek out a safe place to seek shelter.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
5 Jan. 2026
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Look to the upper region of the lunar crescent to find the menacing form of the Aristotles crater with its eastern rim bathed in impenetrable shadow.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
26 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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When everything looks bleak, a woman holds it up victoriously.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
6 Nov. 2025
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New York — US stocks closed lower Thursday as concerns mounted about expensive tech stocks, and a risk-off sentiment spread through markets after new data showed a bleak outlook for the job market.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ominous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ominous. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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