portentous

[US]/pɔːˈtentəs/
[UK]/pɔːrˈtentəs/
Frequency: Very High

Translation

adj. foreboding, ominous; pompous, pretentious

Phrases & Collocations

a portentous event

a portentous atmosphere

Example Sentences

the author's portentous moralizings.

the envelope and its portentous contents.

a building of portentous size

The present aspect of society is portentous of great change.

The dark clouds were a portentous sign of an approaching storm.

His portentous speech made everyone uneasy about the future.

The sudden silence in the room was portentous of bad news.

The old man's portentous warnings about the haunted house scared the children.

The eerie music created a portentous atmosphere in the horror movie.

The fortune teller's portentous predictions left the audience in awe.

The sudden appearance of a black cat was seen as a portentous omen by the superstitious villagers.

The eerie silence in the abandoned house felt portentous to the trespassers.

The politician's portentous promises failed to convince the skeptical voters.

The portentous music in the background added to the suspense of the thriller movie.

Real-world Examples

There was something portentous in his appearance.

Source: The Short Stories of Mark Twain

" To me it seemed perfectly appalling, disastrous, portentous" .

Source: The Room with a View (Part 1)

The " cranks" were all rebels, and the list was portentous.

Source: The Education of Henry Adams (Part Two)

To Adams, Reeve's refusal seemed portentous.

Source: The Education of Henry Adams (Part Two)

He ran his eye down the pages, and his countenance grew portentous.

Source: The Short Stories of Mark Twain

As Amy returned from her last trip, Mr. Davis gave a portentous " Hem" !

Source: "Little Women" original version

Mr. Bumble, catching at the inquiry very quickly, shook his head with portentous solemnity.

Source: Oliver Twist (Original Version)

Next the loud mournful whistles, the portentous vibration and the boat, the human idea--is in motion.

Source: The Night is Gentle (Part Two)

Yet the four miles to the Creek are stirring, like the bleak, portentous beginning of a good tale.

Source: Cross Stream (Part 1)

(as in " burdened with making portentous decisions" ), which was added to our dictionary in 1934.

Source: Word of the Day

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