Ominous — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈä-mə-nəs/ om·i·nous

Meaning & Definition of Ominous

Ominous (adjective)

  1. being or exhibiting an omen, portentous; especially, foreboding or foreshadowing evil, misfortune, or calamity, inauspicious

Ominous (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

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

    "that comment about downsizing from the company president sounded ominous"

    similar: baleful, dire, direful, doomy, foreboding, ill, ill-boding, inauspicious, menacing, minatory, 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 Ominous

The most common words with a similar meaning to Ominous:

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

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Ominous

Words with the opposite meaning of Ominous:

unthreatening

Related Words for Ominous

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 Ominous

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

Word Forms of Ominous

Derived words: ominously (adverb), ominousness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Ominous

First known use: 1586

Frequently Asked Questions about Ominous

What does "Ominous" mean?

"Ominous" means being or exhibiting an omen, portentous; especially, foreboding or foreshadowing evil, misfortune, or calamity, inauspicious. As an adjective, it is defined as: being or exhibiting an omen, portentous; especially, foreboding or foreshadowing evil, misfortune, or calamity, inauspicious.

What is another word for "Ominous"?

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

What are different ways to say "Ominous"?

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

What is the opposite of "Ominous"?

Antonyms of "Ominous" include unthreatening. Near antonyms include auspicious, benign, bright and encouraging.

How do you use "Ominous" in a sentence?

Examples of "Ominous" in a sentence: "that comment about downsizing from the company president sounded ominous".

Is "Ominous" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Ominous" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Ominous"?

"Ominous" is pronounced /ˈä-mə-nəs/ and divided into syllables as om·i·nous.

What is the origin of the word "Ominous"?

First known use: 1586.