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Forbidding vs Ominous - What's the difference?

forbidding | ominous | Related terms |

As adjectives the difference between forbidding and ominous

is that forbidding is highly unpleasant or disagreeable while ominous is of or pertaining to an omen or to omens; being or exhibiting an omen; significant.

As a verb forbidding

is present participle of lang=en.

As a noun forbidding

is the act by which something is forbidden; a prohibition.

forbidding

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • highly unpleasant or disagreeable
  • threatening or menacing

    • Verb

    (head)

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act by which something is forbidden; a prohibition.
  • * William Shakespeare
    • But all these poor forbiddings could not stay him.

    ominous

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • 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; 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
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2012 , date=April 29 , author=Nathan Rabin , title=TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “Treehouse of Horror III” (season 4, episode 5; originally aired 10/29/1992) citation , page= , passage=The idea of a merchant selling both totems of pure evil and frozen yogurt (he calls it frogurt!) is amusing in itself, as is the idea that frogurt could be cursed, but it’s really the Shopkeeper’s quicksilver shift from ominous doomsaying to chipper salesmanship that sells the sequence.}}

    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 * threatening

    Derived terms

    * ominously * ominousness

    Related terms

    * omen

    External links

    * *