baleful

[beyl-fuhl]

adjective

1. full of menacing or malign influences; pernicious.

   Synonyms: deadly, wicked, evil, detrimental, injurious, malign, harmful

2. Obsolete.,  wretched; miserable.

baleful

/ ˈbeɪlfʊl /

adjective

1. harmful, menacing, or vindictive

2. archaic,  dejected

Other Word Forms

• balefully adverb
• balefulness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of baleful¹

before 1000; Middle English; Old English bealofull. See bale ², -ful

Example Sentences

Mr. Icke’s expansion of the cast of characters does not really enrich the elemental drama, but it hardly needs to, given the baleful nature of the narrative.

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Aside from the challenge this style represents to the rule of law and ordered liberty, it can have baleful political consequences too.

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The details of Knight's upbringing were not disclosed in court, but Judge Richardson described them as "baleful".

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The truth is there in the baleful eyes of the figures who don’t get to speak, especially the bloodied prisoners handcuffed to the stair railing at the police station where her mother works.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

That makes the action sequence showing Joel methodically gunning down armed men and women to retrieve his surrogate daughter thrilling and baleful because we are watching him write a check destined to come due.

Read more on Salon