What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
portentous
Example
The portentous speech by the president left the audience feeling uneasy. [portentous: adjective]
Example
The dark clouds and thunder were portentous of an impending storm. [portentous: adjective]
foreboding
Example
She had a foreboding feeling that something bad was going to happen. [foreboding: noun]
Example
The eerie silence in the forest gave him a foreboding sense of danger. [foreboding: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Foreboding is more commonly used than portentous in everyday language. Foreboding is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while portentous is less common and refers to something significant or grandiose.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between portentous and foreboding?
Portentous is typically associated with a formal and grandiose tone, while foreboding can be employed in both formal and informal contexts, allowing it to be used in a wider range of situations.
