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
If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.
—
Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 20 Sep. 2025
Low, ominous bass riffs giving way to a distorted wail of electric guitar signaled that this was the juncture in American history when the gloves came off and the real ass-kicking began.
—Seth Harp, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Galas’s maid, played by the essential Mary Testa, is a former opera star herself, one who makes ominous pronouncements of impending doom in between her dusting.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
Give us conflicted villains who do more than twirl mustaches (or read ominous passages from Peter Pan).
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ominous
Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 20 Sep. 2025
Low, ominous bass riffs giving way to a distorted wail of electric guitar signaled that this was the juncture in American history when the gloves came off and the real ass-kicking began.
—Seth Harp, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Galas’s maid, played by the essential Mary Testa, is a former opera star herself, one who makes ominous pronouncements of impending doom in between her dusting.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
Give us conflicted villains who do more than twirl mustaches (or read ominous passages from Peter Pan).
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ominous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ominous
Adjective
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Unfortunately, things take a sinister turn when Laura's followers enter the room, undress, and begin passing the baby around.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Sep. 2025
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What starts as a strained father-daughter relationship soon evolves into something far more sinister.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Additional revelations hint of Kiri's evolving powers, the menacing Quaritch bonding with Varang to help defeat the Na'vi, a spectacular air/sea clash between the Ash People, the RDA, and the Na’vi, and Spider threatening to kill someone offscreen.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
1 Oct. 2025
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Who’s messing with the lights and filling the air with menacing rumbles and zaps?—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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These days, things are pretty bleak at the old mall, which has many vacancies, is startlingly empty of shoppers and appears slated for redevelopment.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
25 Sep. 2025
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Given that such advances are what fuel economic growth and well-being, the future prospects for our economy — and our country in general — become far more bleak.—
Sheldon Jacobson,
Twin Cities,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ominous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ominous. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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