1
as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come
an eerie and portentous stillness hung over the camp the night before the battle
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in marvellous
causing wonder or astonishment
in 1969 people regarded the first landing on the moon as a truly portentous event
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of portentous
But unlike the relative low-budget kicks of his previous two films, Glass has lots of portentous self-importance that the movie never quite earns.
—
Will Leitch, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2024
The big and portentous orchestrations of John Williams play right through both exposition and action scenes like oppressive Musak.
—John H. Dorr, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 July 2024
After reams of the post-liberals’ portentous obscurities, Lefebvre’s cutting clarity comes as a relief.
—Becca Rothfeld, Washington Post, 3 July 2024
The first is to speak in the hushed, portentous tones that have signified Serious Blockbusters for decades.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 1 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for portentous
Will Leitch, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2024
The big and portentous orchestrations of John Williams play right through both exposition and action scenes like oppressive Musak.
—John H. Dorr, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 July 2024
After reams of the post-liberals’ portentous obscurities, Lefebvre’s cutting clarity comes as a relief.
—Becca Rothfeld, Washington Post, 3 July 2024
The first is to speak in the hushed, portentous tones that have signified Serious Blockbusters for decades.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 1 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for portentous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portentous
Adjective
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Living in this area means constantly being on high alert when the weather turns ominous.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
People.com,
5 Apr. 2025
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If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The supernatural thriller is set in the Jim Crow South, where twin brothers—each played by Jordan—return home from Chicago with hopes of starting over, only to confront a sinister force that’s been waiting for them.—
Essence,
Essence,
2 Apr. 2025
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The banal village tunes that Mahler altered into sinister mock vulgarities—did these not recall the raffish klezmer bands, the wandering musicians who played at shtetl weddings?—
David Denby,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Embracing different cultures: There is plenty of wonderful Mexican culture depicted throughout the film, from cooking traditional dishes to the vibrant atmosphere.—
Alex Vance,
Parents,
28 Mar. 2025
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Cherish these moments and know that your efforts to preserve their voices are a wonderful tribute to your relationships.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
FOXNews.com,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Until Henry momentarily excuses himself from the table, that is, and the person or persons behind these winky-wink messages tell her to poison Henry ASAP or the menacing guy currently hiding in her apartment will kill her boy.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
10 Apr. 2025
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Ivan Koloff Oreal Donald Perras, wrestling as Ivan Koloff, became synonymous with the menacing Soviet villain.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Musk is an astonishing $147 billion richer this year.—
Roy Canivel,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
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That this change is reportedly being considered when Republicans hold a trifecta makes the whole thing more astonishing.—
The Editors,
National Review,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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That the 29-year-old was present, let alone capable of leading the celebrations, was nothing short of miraculous.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2025
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These days, the Hall of Famer is forging a new, post-football path. ➤ Barry Sanders: Lions turnaround has been 'miraculous': Speaking of 1990s pro football icons, Sanders' electrifying runs filled highlight reels.—
Jim Reineking,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Just imagine the potpourri of amazing facial expressions that would have been on display had Sai been sitting on the jury.—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
10 Apr. 2025
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These cases cannot succeed without the amazing team of county detectives and the other detectives throughout Bucks County who make up our Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.—
Jennifer Rodriguez,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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At the end of Season 3, Belinda finds herself in a surprising position of power after Greg offers her $100,000 to keep quiet about his identity.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
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How to pet a dragon — and cast a spell Beyond rides, Epic Universe provides a surprising amount of interactive elements and experiences that were first teased in the existing Harry Potter lands in their two previous Florida parks.—
Adrian Ruhi,
Miami Herald,
7 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Portentous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portentous. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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