foreboding

[ fawr-boh-ding, fohr- ]
See synonyms for foreboding on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a prediction; portent.

  2. a strong inner feeling or notion of a future misfortune, evil, etc.; presentiment.

adjective
  1. that forebodes, especially evil.

Origin of foreboding

1
1350–1400; Middle English forbodyng (noun); see forebode, -ing1, -ing2

Other words from foreboding

  • fore·bod·ing·ly, adverb
  • fore·bod·ing·ness, noun
  • un·fore·bod·ing, adjective

Words that may be confused with foreboding

Words Nearby foreboding

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use foreboding in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for foreboding

foreboding

/ (fɔːˈbəʊdɪŋ) /


noun
  1. a feeling of impending evil, disaster, etc

  2. an omen or portent

adjective
  1. presaging something

Derived forms of foreboding

  • forebodingly, adverb
  • forebodingness, 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