baleful

[ beyl-fuhl ]

/ ˈbeɪl fəl /

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See synonyms for baleful on Thesaurus.com

adjective

full of menacing or malign influences; pernicious.

Obsolete. wretched; miserable.

OTHER WORDS FOR baleful

1 harmful, malign, injurious, detrimental; evil, wicked; deadly.

See synonyms for baleful on Thesaurus.com

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ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?

We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.

Question 1 of 8

Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?

navy

beryl

azure

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Origin of baleful

before 1000; Middle English; Old English bealofull.See bale², -ful

OTHER WORDS FROM baleful

bale·ful·ly, adverbbale·ful·ness, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH baleful

baleful , baneful

Words nearby baleful

baleboste, bale cubic, baleen, baleen whale, balefire, baleful, Balenciaga, baler, balestra, Balewa, Balfour

How to use baleful in a sentence

He consequently dines secretly with his old friend Bunker and, through that trickster’s baleful influence, soon finds himself in a Scottish castle, passing himself off as its new laird, Lord Tulliwuddle.
Cheer yourself up with light comedies from another era|Michael Dirda|March 31, 2021|Washington Post
If you’re ever at a loss to account for why this country is gripped by hatred and belief in baleful falsehoods, click on a few of them.
Ten omissions from Fox Nation’s remembrance of Rush Limbaugh|Erik Wemple|February 18, 2021|Washington Post
She will unearth more than their remains in a quest that becomes a journey of baleful discovery and painful self-discovery.
Holocaust Horrors Haunt the Films ‘Ida’ And ‘The German Doctor’|Jack Schwartz|May 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A cry I was quite unable to suppress escaped me, and the creature turned on the instant and stared at me with baleful eyes.
Three More John Silence Stories|Algernon Blackwood

As the animal crouched at Bascomb's feet, his baleful eyes turned in the boy's direction, and he growled menacingly.
Motor Matt's "Century" Run|Stanley R. Matthews
Nita groaned, and looked down with loathing eyes at the baleful jewel that hung loosely on her wasted hand.
They Looked and Loved|Mrs. Alex McVeigh Miller
I feared, the "luck of the Le Moynes" and their baleful motto.
The Rose of Old St. Louis|Mary Dillon
He had toiled until he held the baleful genie in a glass vessel partially filled with water, and the sprite could not be seen.
Steam Steel and Electricity|James W. Steele

British Dictionary definitions for baleful

baleful

/ (ˈbeɪlfʊl) /

adjective

harmful, menacing, or vindictive

archaic dejected

Derived forms of baleful

balefully, adverbbalefulness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

baleful

OTHER WORDS FOR baleful

Origin of baleful

OTHER WORDS FROM baleful

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH baleful

Words nearby baleful

Words related to baleful

How to use baleful in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for baleful

Derived forms of baleful