ominous
Giving you a worrying feeling that something bad is about to happen.
ominous in a sentence
- Ominous black clouds gathered over the pitch just before the final match began.
- There was an ominous creak from the old bridge, and the explorers stepped back quickly.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to ominous?
- Acheerful
- Bthreatening
- Cbright
- Dhopeful
Show the answer
B: threatening. The other three mean the opposite of ominous.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to ominous?
- Adark
- Bhopeful
- Cscary
- Dthreatening
Show the answer
B: hopeful. The other three mean nearly the same as ominous.
Words that mean something similar
threatening, scary, dark
Words that mean the opposite
hopeful, cheerful, bright
More words about light & dark
- opaque: Impossible to see through.
- phantom: A ghost, or something that seems real but is not.
- radiant: Shining brightly, or glowing with happiness.
- shimmer: To shine with a soft light that seems to tremble.
- sombre: Dark, dull and serious in mood or colour.
- twilight: The soft, dim light just after the sun goes down.
- beacon: A light or fire used as a signal that can be seen from far away.
- dazzle: To amaze someone with bright light or brilliance.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test