Synonym Chooser

How is the word sinister different from other adjectives like it?

The words baleful and malign are common synonyms of sinister. While all three words mean "seriously threatening evil or disaster," sinister suggests a general or vague feeling of fear or apprehension on the part of the observer.

a sinister aura haunts the place

When is it sensible to use baleful instead of sinister?

The synonyms baleful and sinister are sometimes interchangeable, but baleful imputes perniciousness or destructiveness to something whether working openly or covertly.

exerting a corrupt and baleful influence

When would malign be a good substitute for sinister?

The words malign and sinister are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, malign applies to what is inherently evil or harmful.

the malign effects of racism

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 sinister In that psychological horror movie, Farrow plays a pregnant newlywed who begins to suspect that her Manhattan neighbors have sinister intentions toward her and her baby. Matthew J. Palm, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2025 While investigating the case of a teenage girl left for dead in the woods, Luminița (34), a small-town police officer, risks being swallowed into a dark, sinister world, where the unlawful meets the occult. Leo Barraclough, Variety, 8 May 2025 The real-life School of Rock founder’s former students tell a more sinister story By Ezra Marcus Hats Off! Daniel Berulis, a cyber-security expert and employee of the National Labor Relations Board. Air Mail, 3 May 2025 From playing Lord Henry Blackwood in Sherlock Holmes to Sinestro in Green Lantern, the British actor has a reputation for playing some seriously sinister villains. Emily Blackwood, People.com, 1 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for sinister
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sinister
Adjective
  • There’s a shift in the second to last episode when Michaela suddenly becomes not ridiculous or ominous, but self-aware and human and someone who very clearly sees what a fraud her life has been.
    Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025
  • In a small 18th-century English village, locals hear ominous barking.
    Shannon Carlin, Time, 22 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

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Cite this Entry

“Sinister.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sinister. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on sinister

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