Ill-boding — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈil-ˈbō-diŋ/ ill-bod·ing

Meaning & Definition of Ill-boding

Ill-boding (adjective)

  1. boding evil, inauspicious

Ill-boding (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come

    "in an ill-boding turn of events, the government began rounding up political dissidents"

    similar: baleful, dire, direful, doomy, foreboding, ill, inauspicious, menacing, minatory, ominous, portentous, sinister, threatening
    related: black, bleak, cheerless, chill, Cimmerian, cloudy, cold, comfortless, dark, darkening, depressing, depressive, desolate, dim, disconsolate, dismal, drear, dreary, dreich (chiefly Scottish), elegiac, forlorn, funereal, gloomy, glum, godforsaken, gray, lonely, lonesome, lugubrious, miserable, morbid, morose, murky, plutonian, saturnine, sepulchral, somber, sullen, sunless, tenebrific, tenebrous, wretched, discouraging, disheartening, hopeless, unfavorable, unpromising, unpropitious, ill-fated, ill-starred, star-crossed, troubled, unfortunate, unlucky, evil, malign, malignant
    opposite: unthreatening
    near: auspicious, benign, bright, encouraging, favorable, golden, heartening, hopeful, promising, propitious, prosperous

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Ill-boding

The most common words with a similar meaning to Ill-boding:

baleful, dire, direful, doomy, foreboding, ill, inauspicious, menacing, minatory, ominous, portentous, sinister, threatening

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Ill-boding

Words with the opposite meaning of Ill-boding:

unthreatening

Related Words for Ill-boding

black, bleak, cheerless, chill, Cimmerian, cloudy, cold, comfortless, dark, darkening, depressing, depressive, desolate, dim, disconsolate, dismal, drear, dreary, dreich, elegiac, forlorn, funereal, gloomy, glum, godforsaken, gray, lonely, lonesome, lugubrious, miserable

Near Antonyms of Ill-boding

auspicious, benign, bright, encouraging, favorable, golden, heartening, hopeful, promising, propitious, prosperous

Origin & Etymology of Ill-boding

First known use: 1591

Frequently Asked Questions about Ill-boding

What does "Ill-boding" mean?

"Ill-boding" means boding evil, inauspicious. As an adjective, it is defined as: boding evil, inauspicious.

What is another word for "Ill-boding"?

Other words for "Ill-boding" include baleful, dire, direful, doomy, foreboding, ill, inauspicious and menacing. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Ill-boding" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Ill-boding"?

There are 70 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Ill-boding". Common alternatives include baleful, dire, direful, doomy, foreboding, ill, inauspicious, menacing, minatory and ominous.

What is the opposite of "Ill-boding"?

Antonyms of "Ill-boding" include unthreatening. Near antonyms include auspicious, benign, bright and encouraging.

How do you use "Ill-boding" in a sentence?

Examples of "Ill-boding" in a sentence: "in an ill-boding turn of events, the government began rounding up political dissidents".

Is "Ill-boding" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Ill-boding" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Ill-boding"?

"Ill-boding" is pronounced /ˈil-ˈbō-diŋ/ and divided into syllables as ill-bod·ing.

What is the origin of the word "Ill-boding"?

First known use: 1591.