ominous

[om-uh-nuhs] / ˈɒm ə nəs /

ADJECTIVE

menacing, foreboding

Synonyms

STRONGEST

apocalyptic dangerous dark dire dismal gloomy grim haunting perilous portentous prophetic sinister threatening

WEAK

augural baleful baneful clouded direful doomed doomful fateful fearful forbidding hostile ill-boding ill-fated impending inauspicious inhospitable lowering malefic malificent malign minatory precursive premonitory presaging prescient suggestive unfriendly unlucky unpromising unpropitious

Antonyms

STRONGEST

bright cheerful encouraging good happy hopeful joyful light nice pleasant safe secure sunny

WEAK

auspicious lucky promising propitious

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The shellacking that big bank stocks have taken as of late could be an ominous sign about what’s next for the economy.

From Barron's

More ominous is the movement in the bond market’s expectations of where inflation is headed.

From MarketWatch

Never again have to pick up my headset and hear an ominous voice on the other end.

From Literature

“The declines may be shrouded with ominous headlines, but the percentage drop in the index is just a mere flesh wound.”

From Barron's

In an ominous sign of the struggle to come, Raducanu was broken in the opening game.

From BBC