as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come
the movie relies too much on sinister background music to create the suspense that the plot sorely lacks
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Recent Examples of sinister
He’s then forced to compete in a sinister game of hide-and-seek, where even more players are eliminated.
—
Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
The blue hued skating rinks and dance clubs Jiang and Zhang inhabit look beguilingly sinister, serving as both dreamscape and nightmarish reality.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 28 May 2025
The Academy Award winner looks sinister and well-suited as a leader in some kind of underground workspace (one that resembles a NASA control room and the like).
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 27 June 2025
But those few seconds don’t erase all the fleeting, sinister impressions that came before — and that turn out not to have been fleeting, after all.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 21 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for sinister
Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
The blue hued skating rinks and dance clubs Jiang and Zhang inhabit look beguilingly sinister, serving as both dreamscape and nightmarish reality.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 28 May 2025
The Academy Award winner looks sinister and well-suited as a leader in some kind of underground workspace (one that resembles a NASA control room and the like).
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 27 June 2025
But those few seconds don’t erase all the fleeting, sinister impressions that came before — and that turn out not to have been fleeting, after all.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 21 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for sinister
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sinister
Adjective
-
People in this state search for a story that explains why everything suddenly feels uncanny and ominous.—
Rachel Aviv,
New Yorker,
21 July 2025
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Some commentators labeled his speech unduly bellicose; others applauded his courage to define ominous realities.—
Robert Schmuhl,
Chicago Tribune,
20 July 2025
Adjective
-
If the sky becomes menacing and thunder becomes audible, seek out a safe place to seek shelter.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
14 July 2025
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That decision ultimately cost him the match, and when the bout was over, Orton’s menacing stare at Rhodes not-so-subtly hinted at a potential heel turn.—
Blake Oestriecher,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sinister.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sinister. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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