If someone's way of speaking, writing, or behaving is portentous, they speak, write, or behave more seriously than necessary because they want to impress other people.
[formal, disapproval]
There was nothing portentous or solemn about him. He was bubbling with humour.
...portentous prose.
Synonyms: pompous, solemn, ponderous, self-important More Synonyms of portentous
portentouslyadverb [usually ADVERB with verb]
'The difference is,' he said portentously, 'you are Anglo-Saxons, we are Latins.'
2. adjective
Something that is portentous is important in indicating or affecting future events.
[formal]
The city's contribution to 20th century thought and culture was no less portentous.
Portentous choices were forced on him by the dozen.
More Synonyms of portentous
portentous in British English
(pɔːˈtɛntəs)
adjective
1.
of momentous or ominous significance
2.
miraculous, amazing, or awe-inspiring; prodigious
3.
self-important or pompous
Derived forms
portentously (porˈtentously)
adverb
portentousness (porˈtentousness)
noun
portentous in American English
(pɔrˈtɛntəs)
adjective
1.
that portends evil; ominous
2.
arousing awe or amazement; marvelous
3.
ponderous or pompous; self-important
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈominous
Derived forms
portentously (porˈtentously)
adverb
portentousness (porˈtentousness)
noun
Word origin
L portentosus < portentum: see portent
Examples of 'portentous' in a sentence
portentous
All those successes in the early part of his career seemed portentous.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
She was inclined to think that the thing sounded more portentous than amusing.
Frances Hodgson Burnett Emily Fox-Seton (1901)
And yet the imminent launch of Destiny feels almost as portentous as its name.
The Sun (2014)
MasterChef's use of deeply portentous music in the background only adds to this.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Instead of sounding profound and portentous, there was an edge of pomposity.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Now I write it down the scene does seem awfully portentous.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
While the bold sweep of the band's ambition seemed impressive at the time, such portentous complexities now seem quaint and rather naive.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
1 (adjective)
Definition
self-important or pompous
There was nothing portentous or solemn about him.
Synonyms
pompous
What a pompous little man he is.
solemn
His solemn little face broke into smiles.
ponderous
self-important
He was self-important, vain and ignorant.
pontifical
He's a little bit pontifical, and it can get on your nerves.
2 (adjective)
Definition
of great or ominous significance
portentous prophecies of doom
Synonyms
significant
It is the first drug that seems to have a significant effect on this disease.
alarming
sinister
There was something sinister about him that she found disturbing.
ominous
There was an ominous silence at the other end of the phone.
important
an important economic challenge to the government
threatening
a threatening atmosphere of rising tension and stress
crucial (informal)
the most crucial election campaign in years
forbidding
There was something severe and forbidding about her face.
menacing
His bushy eyebrows gave his face a menacing look.
momentous
the momentous decision to send in the troops
fateful
What changed for him in that fateful year?
minatory
a heavy and minatory silence
bodeful
3 (adjective)
Synonyms
remarkable
He was a remarkable man.
amazing
It's amazing what we can remember with a little prompting.
extraordinary
He is an extraordinary musician.
phenomenal
a phenomenal performance
astounding
The results are quite astounding.
miraculous
The horse made a miraculous recovery.
prodigious
He impressed everyone with his prodigious memory.
wondrous (archaic, literary)
a wondrous vast land of lakes and forests
awe-inspiring
a museum with an awe-inspiring display of jewellery
Additional synonyms
in the sense of amazing
It's amazing what we can remember with a little prompting.
Synonyms
astonishing,
striking,
surprising,
brilliant,
stunning,
impressive,
overwhelming,
staggering,
sensational (informal),
bewildering,
eye-popping (informal),
breathtaking,
astounding,
eye-opening,
wondrous (archaic, literary),
mind-boggling,
jaw-dropping,
stupefying,
gee-whizz (slang),
startling
in the sense of astounding
The results are quite astounding.
Synonyms
amazing,
striking,
surprising,
brilliant,
impressive,
astonishing,
staggering,
sensational (informal),
bewildering,
stunning,
breathtaking,
wondrous (archaic, literary),
jaw-dropping,
eye-popping (informal),
stupefying,
gee-whizz (slang)
in the sense of awe-inspiring
a museum with an awe-inspiring display of jewellery
Synonyms
impressive,
striking,
wonderful,
amazing,
stunning (informal),
magnificent,
astonishing,
intimidating,
awesome,
daunting,
breathtaking,
eye-popping (informal),
fearsome,
wondrous (archaic, literary),
jaw-dropping,
gee-whizz (slang)
Nearby words of
portentous
portal
portend
portent
portentous
porter
portion
portion something out
Synonyms of 'portentous'
portentous
Explore 'portentous' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of crucial
Definition
of exceptional importance
the most crucial election campaign in years
Synonyms
vital,
important,
pressing,
essential,
urgent,
momentous,
high-priority
in the sense of extraordinary
Definition
having some special or extreme quality
He is an extraordinary musician.
Synonyms
remarkable,
special,
wonderful,
outstanding,
rare,
amazing,
fantastic (informal),
astonishing,
marvellous,
eye-popping (informal),
exceptional,
notable,
serious (informal),
phenomenal,
singular,
wondrous (archaic, literary),
out of this world (informal),
extremely good
in the sense of fateful
Definition
having important, and usually disastrous, consequences
What changed for him in that fateful year?
Synonyms
crucial (informal),
important,
significant,
critical,
decisive,
momentous,
portentous
in the sense of forbidding
Definition
severe and threatening in appearance or manner
There was something severe and forbidding about her face.
Synonyms
threatening,
severe,
frightening,
hostile,
grim,
menacing,
sinister,
daunting,
ominous,
unfriendly,
foreboding,
baleful,
bodeful
in the sense of important
Definition
of great significance, value, or consequence
an important economic challenge to the government
Synonyms
significant,
critical,
substantial,
grave,
urgent,
serious,
material,
signal,
primary,
meaningful,
far-reaching,
momentous,
seminal,
weighty,
of substance,
salient,
noteworthy
in the sense of menacing
His bushy eyebrows gave his face a menacing look.
Synonyms
threatening,
dangerous,
alarming,
frightening,
forbidding,
looming,
intimidating,
ominous,
baleful,
intimidatory,
minatory,
bodeful,
louring or lowering,
minacious
in the sense of minatory
Definition
threatening or menacing
a heavy and minatory silence
Synonyms
threatening,
dangerous,
menacing,
baleful,
minacious,
minatorial
in the sense of miraculous
Definition
surprising or remarkable
The horse made a miraculous recovery.
Synonyms
wonderful,
amazing,
extraordinary,
incredible (informal),
astonishing,
marvellous,
magical,
unbelievable,
phenomenal,
astounding,
eye-popping (informal),
inexplicable,
wondrous (archaic, literary),
unaccountable,
superhuman
in the sense of momentous
Definition
of great significance
the momentous decision to send in the troops
Synonyms
significant,
important,
serious,
vital,
critical,
crucial (informal),
grave,
historic,
decisive,
pivotal,
fateful,
weighty,
consequential,
of moment,
earth-shaking (informal)
in the sense of ominous
Definition
warning of evil
There was an ominous silence at the other end of the phone.
Synonyms
threatening,
menacing,
sinister,
dark,
forbidding,
grim,
fateful,
foreboding,
unpromising,
portentous,
baleful,
inauspicious,
premonitory,
unpropitious,
minatory,
bodeful
Additional synonyms
in the sense of phenomenal
Definition
extraordinary or outstanding
a phenomenal performance
Synonyms
extraordinary,
outstanding,
remarkable,
fantastic (informal),
unique,
unusual,
marvellous,
exceptional,
notable,
sensational (informal),
uncommon,
singular,
miraculous,
stellar (informal),
prodigious,
unparalleled,
wondrous (archaic, literary)
in the sense of pontifical
Definition
pompous or dogmatic in manner
He's a little bit pontifical, and it can get on your nerves.
Synonyms
pompous,
pretentious,
bloated,
dogmatic,
condescending,
imperious,
overbearing,
portentous,
magisterial,
self-important
in the sense of prodigious
Definition
wonderful or amazing
He impressed everyone with his prodigious memory.
Synonyms
wonderful,
striking,
amazing,
unusual,
dramatic,
impressive,
extraordinary,
remarkable,
fantastic (informal),
fabulous,
staggering,
marvellous,
startling,
exceptional,
abnormal,
phenomenal,
astounding,
miraculous,
stupendous,
flabbergasting (informal)
in the sense of self-important
Definition
having an unduly high opinion of one's own importance
He was self-important, vain and ignorant.
Synonyms
conceited,
arrogant,
pompous,
strutting,
swaggering,
cocky,
pushy (informal),
overbearing,
presumptuous,
bumptious,
swollen-headed,
bigheaded,
full of yourself
in the sense of sinister
Definition
threatening or suggesting evil or harm
There was something sinister about him that she found disturbing.
Synonyms
threatening,
evil,
menacing,
forbidding,
dire,
ominous,
malign,
disquieting,
malignant,
malevolent,
baleful,
injurious,
bodeful
in the sense of solemn
Definition
serious or glum
His solemn little face broke into smiles.
Synonyms
serious,
earnest,
grave,
sober,
thoughtful,
sedate,
glum,
staid,
portentous
in the sense of threatening
a threatening atmosphere of rising tension and stress