foreboding

American  

[fawr-boh-ding, fohr-] / fɔrˈboʊ dɪŋ, foʊr- /

noun

1. a prediction; portent.

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

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adjective

1. that forebodes, especially evil.

foreboding British  

/ fɔːˈbəʊdɪŋ /

noun

1. a feeling of impending evil, disaster, etc

2. an omen or portent

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adjective

1. presaging something

Other Word Forms

• forebodingly adverb
• forebodingness noun
• unforeboding adjective

Etymology

Origin of foreboding

1350–1400; Middle English forbodyng (noun); forebode, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Example Sentences

Wrestling strips life’s complications down to primal conflicts, and few wrestlers embodied this approach as famously, and forebodingly, as Hulk Hogan.

From The Wall Street Journal

Meanwhile Nathan Johnson’s score of scratchy cellos and foreboding horns pairs well with a dramatic burst of organ music — one of many goofy-great jump scares goosed up by the editor Bob Ducsay.

From Los Angeles Times

Consider the foreboding for England if they were to lose.

From BBC

There was a foreboding feeling before kickoff for a home team whose stadium was awash in the color of the visitors.

From Los Angeles Times

We entered the final 10 minutes and the sense of foreboding began to grow.

From BBC

Related Words

• apprehension
• dread
• premonition