1
as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come
an eerie and portentous stillness hung over the camp the night before the battle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in marvellous
causing wonder or astonishment
in 1969 people regarded the first landing on the moon as a truly portentous event
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 portentous
This game would have been twice as portentous if Davis had been healthy, but the 10-time All-Star who teamed up with James to lead the Lakers to the 2020 championship is out at least two more weeks with a groin injury sustained in his Mavs debut.
—
Greg Beacham, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2025
After the game, Dončić warmly greeted his former teammates but also took a few portentous looks at the Mavericks bench during the night.
—Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
With its whisper-thin characters, vague narrative, and acres of portentous poetry about sound, Rabbit Trap feels somehow both underwritten and overwritten.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Jan. 2025
Advertisement Starting with his film-school projects in the early 1970s, David Cronenberg hit the ground running with projects that tucked sharp social critiques into ominously portentous narratives.
—Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for portentous
Greg Beacham, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2025
After the game, Dončić warmly greeted his former teammates but also took a few portentous looks at the Mavericks bench during the night.
—Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
With its whisper-thin characters, vague narrative, and acres of portentous poetry about sound, Rabbit Trap feels somehow both underwritten and overwritten.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Jan. 2025
Advertisement Starting with his film-school projects in the early 1970s, David Cronenberg hit the ground running with projects that tucked sharp social critiques into ominously portentous narratives.
—Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for portentous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portentous
Adjective
-
If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
6 June 2025
-
Punched in the face That could explain the chain saw-wielding, the jumping up and down onstage, the manic baby-making and crusading for more spreading of sperm by smart people and the ominous Nazi-style salutes.—
Maureen Dowd,
Mercury News,
4 June 2025
Adjective
-
By the end of the season, President George W. Bush arrives at the family’s doorstep, masquerading as Rumi’s friend while barely concealing his sinister intentions.—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
2 June 2025
-
Idyllic getaways unravel into haunting mysteries, exposing the sinister secrets lurking beneath sunlit shores, mountain retreats and bustling boardwalks; Jessica Biel narrates.—
Ryan Schwartz,
TVLine,
31 May 2025
Adjective
-
Though not a traditional kids’ movie by any stretch, there’s still a lot of wonderful Dignan-esque scheming involved in Mr. Fox (George Clooney) stealing from the adjoining farms of Boggis, Bunce, and Bean, and the film has the warmth of an old Rankin-Bass production.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
7 June 2025
-
Into this mid-1980s maelstrom stepped the fanzines and a wonderful array of titles.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
7 June 2025
Adjective
-
If the sky becomes menacing and thunder becomes audible, seek out a safe place to seek shelter.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
8 June 2025
-
Make that the second scariest, as Claire’s antics bring another menacing character into their lives, when her dealer, Jackie (Domhnall Gleeson), shows up at Echo Valley looking for 10 grand in heroin.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
7 June 2025
Adjective
-
There isn’t a huge amount of that, but the fact that the robots are fighting at all is astonishing.—
John Koetsier,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
-
Regardless of his personal situation, what Enrique has done to this PSG side has been nothing short of astonishing.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
1 June 2025
Adjective
-
The three most colossal creatures across land, sea and air within that tropical biosphere hold, in their DNA, the key to a drug that will bring miraculous life-saving benefits to humankind.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
2 June 2025
-
Still, Maye was able to make a miraculous pass for the first down, throwing against the grain.—
Ted Nguyen,
New York Times,
2 June 2025
Adjective
-
Here’s a look at his amazing performance. Notes . . .—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
-
Our region also has a number of other destinations that might not necessarily have the Dark Sky designation, but their clear skies, lack of light pollution, or access to astronomical instruments allow visitors to see star clusters, planets, and other amazing features of the night sky.—
Lydia Mansel,
Southern Living,
8 June 2025
Adjective
-
The announcement, though abrupt, was not altogether surprising: City leaders have fretted the loss of Blue Diamond since the 1990s, and the cooperative has been steadily cutting costs in recent years.—
Annika Merrilees,
Sacbee.com,
7 June 2025
-
Keep in mind that a spicy square between Mars and Uranus on June 15 could also lead to romantic developments or surprising revelations, spontaneously or behind the scenes.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Portentous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portentous. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share