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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wonderful
causing wonder or astonishment
in 1969 people regarded the first landing on the moon as a truly portentous event
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of portentous
Yet signs of a portentous ideological shift started to appear almost a quarter century ago, after 9/11.
—
Jason Blakely, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Much like the film lingers on the cold northern landscape, Obomsawin’s music is laced with portentous silences and unresolved harmonies.
—Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2025
Later, chugging string figures and portentous drones have the flavor of Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
In the final novel of the series, The Last Battle, the destruction of trees and dryads in Lantern Waste, a place tied to the creation of Narnia itself, is one of many portentous omens signalling the end of the world.
—Ellen Walker, JSTOR Daily, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for portentous
Jason Blakely, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Much like the film lingers on the cold northern landscape, Obomsawin’s music is laced with portentous silences and unresolved harmonies.
—Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2025
Later, chugging string figures and portentous drones have the flavor of Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
In the final novel of the series, The Last Battle, the destruction of trees and dryads in Lantern Waste, a place tied to the creation of Narnia itself, is one of many portentous omens signalling the end of the world.
—Ellen Walker, JSTOR Daily, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for portentous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portentous
Adjective
-
Those citing such ominous scenarios envisioned other possible dangers, including the debilitation of America’s security guarantees to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf oil exporters.—
Paul Blustein,
Fortune,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Certain signs, such as the recent decree by the municipal authorities of Damascus confining the sale of alcohol to Christian neighborhoods, are ominous.—
Alvaro Vargas Llosa,
Oc Register,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The teams got invaluable data — and some wonderful video too.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Books Are Magic, a wonderful bookshop owned by novelist Emma Staub, alone could suck up an entire morning.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The receptionist works behind a period cabinet converted into the sort of desk Philip Marlowe would happily put his feet on and Art Deco ornamentations abound, from the beautiful clocks, to the slightly sinister candlesticks.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The horror film stars Zazie Beetz as a housekeeper who works in a sinister high-rise apartment.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Readers who approach this dense but astonishing book will laugh at how superficial that query seems in contrast to the mysteries of the universe.—
Bethanne Patrick,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Between those bookends lies an astonishing range of human activity scratched onto broken pottery.—
Ryan Brennan
April 1,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
At least there’s a hot new young Professor Snape, played by Paapa Essiedu, looking absolutely as menacing as an adaptation of the first book requires.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Feds investigate pizza doxxings of judges An influx of menacing pizza deliveries to unsuspecting judges has prompted a federal investigation, The Gavel has learned.—
Ella Lee,
The Hill,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The cast’s sole survivor is Jessica Hecht, who pours miraculous warmth and complexity into her faintly insulting role as Colleen, the head teller, a morally upright spinster goosed by her flirtation with Sonny and the spotlight.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
2 Apr. 2026
-
CFCs seemed miraculous, and post-war consumers fell in love with them.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
On the other hand, your own feelings (pleasant or otherwise) could inspire amazing artwork.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Crew has an amazing sight in store Four days later during the lunar flyby, the moon will appear to be the size of a basketball held at arm’s length.—
Marcia Dunn,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But for me the story of Shakur’s jailbreak was not just a piece of radical political history but a surprising revelation about my own family.—
Zayd Ayers Dohrn,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The bigger adventures will come, but sometimes the most surprising inspiration arrives on an ordinary street corner in your own city.—
Kirah Tabourn,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Portentous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portentous. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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