foreboding

1 of 2

noun

fore·​bod·​ing (ˌ)fȯr-ˈbō-diŋ How to pronounce foreboding (audio)
: the act of one who forebodes
also : an omen, prediction, or presentiment especially of coming evil : portent
It seems that her forebodings were justified.

foreboding

2 of 2

adjective

: indicative of or marked by foreboding
forebodingly adverb
forebodingness noun

Examples of foreboding in a Sentence

Noun She was filled with a sense of foreboding. It seems that her forebodings were justified. Adjective foreboding clouds began to gather
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Peppering dashes of humor into its brew of foreboding, the movie views the rise of an authoritarian movement through its effect on a family of unbelievers, covering a five-year period that begins in celebration and ends somewhere very different. Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2025 Most tourists come to London for the iconic landmarks and museums, but for those with a penchant for the foreboding, the city’s morbid history sets an especially spooky tone. Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Abbott was the first to announce the deployment of the Texas National Guard to Austin through a foreboding statement on X, warning that any disorder wouldn’t be tolerated. Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 17 Oct. 2025 The common names of many of the poisonous Amanita mushrooms include foreboding monikers like death cap mushroom and destroying angel. Matt Kasson, Popular Science, 15 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for foreboding

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1630, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of foreboding was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Foreboding.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foreboding. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.

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