portentous
adjective
Francine Prose W. H. Pritchard R. M. Coles
Did you know?
At the heart of portentous is portent, a word for an omen or sign, which comes to us from the Latin noun portentum of the same meaning. And indeed, the first uses of portentous did refer to omens. The second sense of portentous, describing that which is extremely impressive, developed in the 16th century. A third definition—"grave, solemn, significant"—was then added to the second edition of Webster's New International Dictionary in 1934. The word's connotations, however, have since moved into less estimable territory. It now frequently describes both the pompous and the excessive.
Synonyms
- baleful
- dire
- direful
- doomy
- foreboding
- ill
- ill-boding
- inauspicious
- menacing
- minatory
- ominous
- sinister
- threatening
Example Sentences
Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2022 Her singing voice is a magisterial thing — epic and portentous, even a little scary. Owen Myers, EW.com, 30 June 2022 The first sentence sounds the alarm in a portentous poetic rhythm (The fight is here). Susan J. Wolfson, The Atlantic, 18 June 2022 Recent public declarations from Garland, whose spokespeople did not respond to multiple requests for interviews with him or his top aides, regarding where the investigation is headed have been portentous, but also ambiguous. Mark Hosenball, The New Republic, 13 June 2022 Occasionally, a voice-over will intone portentous, poetic, and obscure observations. Peter Keough, BostonGlobe.com, 26 May 2022 One episode, complete with portentous flashbacks, is partly dedicated to her difficult relationship with her fraudster father, the traumatic loss of her brother to cancer, and her fears of abandonment. The New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2022 The president will sign the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act — which speeds up the process of sending aid to Ukraine — on Monday, the anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat, and a day of portentous significance in Russia. Washington Post, 7 May 2022 There are mysteries that are obvious or boring, so many portentous clues about characters' futures. Darren Franich, EW.com, 11 May 2022 See More Word History
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
portentous
adjective
portentous
adjective
Synonyms & Similar Words
- ominous
- sinister
- menacing
- bleak
- somber
- darkening
- threatening
- foreboding
- direful
- minatory
- dark
- inauspicious
- baleful
- murky
- dire
- lonely
- depressive
- doomy
- unfortunate
- depressing
- desolate
- ill-boding
- black
- ill
- gray
- lugubrious
- morbid
- elegiac
- dim
- unfavorable
- gloomy
- morose
- sepulchral
- saturnine
- unpropitious
- cheerless
- lonesome
- funereal
- cold
- dismal
- sullen
- sombre
- dreary
- glum
- grey
- unpromising
- discouraging
- drear
- disconsolate
- forlorn
- plutonian
- troubled
- tenebrous
- godforsaken
- comfortless
- disheartening
- chill
- cloudy
- hopeless
- miserable
- malignant
- evil
- sunless
- elegiacal
- wretched
- dreich
- malign
- unlucky
- ill-starred
- tenebrific
- Cimmerian
- ill-fated
- star-crossed
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- favorable
- promising
- propitious
- auspicious
- benign
- bright
- golden
- hopeful
- unthreatening
- prosperous
- encouraging
- heartening
Synonyms & Similar Words
- astonishing
- wonderful
- miraculous
- surprising
- amazing
- marvellous
- sublime
- marvelous
- incredible
- stunning
- extraordinary
- stupendous
- wondrous
- staggering
- impressive
- remarkable
- awesome
- prodigious
- spectacular
- astounding
- awful
- unusual
- incomprehensible
- interesting
- fabulous
- fascinating
- inconceivable
- exciting
- unbelievable
- unimaginable
- striking
- conspicuous
- uncommon
- unwonted
- unthinkable
- unique
- eye-opening
- rare
- enchanting
- noticeable
- outstanding
- notable
- charming
- singular
- alluring
- attractive
- sensational
- phenomenal
- bewitching
- enthralling
- enlightening
- enlivening
- invigorating
- beguiling
- entertaining
- galvanizing
- captivating
- energizing
- attracting
- smashing
- mind-boggling
- mind-blowing
- mind-bending
- animating
- stimulating
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unremarkable
- tedious
- unimpressive
- monotonous
- dull
- uninteresting
- boring
- wearisome
- usual
- mundane
- ordinary
- customary
- uninspiring
- common
- typical
- wearying
- weary
- normal
- tiring
- unexceptional
- uninspired
- fatiguing
- exhausting
- draining
- debilitating
- dispiriting
- discouraging
- enervating
- jading
- disheartening
- wearing
- demoralizing
- enfeebling
Synonym Chooser
The words fateful and ominous are common synonyms of portentous. While all three words mean "having a menacing or threatening aspect," portentous suggests being frighteningly big or impressive but now seldom definitely connotes forewarning of calamity.
In some situations, the words fateful and portentous are roughly equivalent. However, fateful suggests being of momentous or decisive importance.
The words ominous and portentous are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, ominous implies having a menacing, alarming character foreshadowing evil or disaster.