different between ominous vs frightening
ominous
English
Etymology
From Latin ominosus (“full of foreboding”), from omen (“forbidden fruit, omen”), from os (“the mouth”) + -men.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /??m?n?s/
- (General American) IPA(key): /??m?n?s/
- Hyphenation: o?mi?nous
Adjective
ominous (comparative more ominous, superlative most ominous)
- Of or pertaining to an omen or to omens; being or exhibiting an omen; significant.
- Specifically, giving indication of a coming ill; being an evil omen
- Synonyms: threatening, portentous, inauspicious
- California poll support for Jerry Brown's tax increases has ominous implications for U.S. taxpayers too Los Angeles Times Headline April 25, 2011
Usage notes
- Formerly used both in a favorable and unfavorable sense; now chiefly in the latter; foreboding or foreshadowing evil; inauspicious; as, an ominous dread.
- Nouns to which "ominous" is often applied: sign, silence, warning, cloud, note, sound, shadow, threat, music, tone, implication, message, presence, development, voice, portent, turn, sky, figure, dream, event, trend, change, day, beginning, growl, cry, signal, pattern.
Synonyms
- portentous
- sinister
- threatening
Derived terms
- ominously
- ominousness
Related terms
- omen
- abomination
Translations
Further reading
- ominous in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
- ominous in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
Anagrams
- suimono
ominous From the web:
- what ominous means
- what ominous warnings are implied in this pledge
- what does an ominous mean
- what do ominous mean
- definition for ominous
frightening
English
Etymology
frighten +? -ing.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /?f?a?t?n??/, /?f?a?tn??/
- Hyphenation: fright?en?ing
Adjective
frightening (comparative more frightening, superlative most frightening)
- Causing fear; of capable of causing fear; scary.
- Riding the rollercoaster was a frightening experience.
- (figuratively) Awful, terrible, very bad.
Synonyms
- Thesaurus:frightening
Derived terms
- frighteningly
Translations
Verb
frightening
- present participle of frighten
- The scientist was frightening the timid children.
frightening From the web:
- what frightening means
- what does frightening mean
- definition frightening
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