ominous

adjective
UK: /ˈɒmɪnəs/
US: /ˈɑːmɪnəs/

  1. Suggesting that something bad is going to happen in the future.

    1. The dark clouds looked ominous.
    2. The engine started making an ominous rattling sound, so we stopped the car.

  2. Threatening; giving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen.

    1. There was an ominous silence before the storm.
    2. The government's plans for education reform have been met with ominous warnings from teachers.

Synonyms

inauspicious ill-omened menacing forbidding threatening

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "ominous" in English means: Suggesting that something bad is going to happen in the future., Threatening; giving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen..

The phonetic transcription of "ominous" is /ˈɒmɪnəs/ in British English and /ˈɑːmɪnəs/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "ominous": inauspicious, ill-omened, menacing, forbidding, threatening.

Example usage of "ominous": "The dark clouds looked ominous.". More examples on the page.