What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
ominous
Example
The dark clouds on the horizon looked ominous. [ominous: adjective]
Example
She had an ominous feeling that something terrible was going to happen. [ominous: adjective]
Example
The abandoned house had an ominous aura that made me feel uneasy. [ominous: noun]
threatening
Example
The man's aggressive behavior was threatening to the other customers. [threatening: adjective]
Example
The storm clouds were threatening to bring heavy rain and lightning. [threatening: verb]
Example
The boss gave a threatening ultimatum to the employees. [threatening: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Threatening is more commonly used in everyday language than ominous. Threatening is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while ominous is less common and tends to be used in more specific situations.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between ominous and threatening?
Both ominous and threatening can be used in formal and informal contexts. However, ominous may be considered more formal due to its less frequent usage in everyday language.
