Foreboding vs Threatening - What's the difference?

foreboding | threatening | Related terms |

As nouns the difference between foreboding and threatening

is that foreboding is a sense of evil to come while threatening is an act of threatening; a threat.

As adjectives the difference between foreboding and threatening

is that foreboding is of ominous significance; serving as an ill omen; foretelling of harm or difficulty while threatening is presenting a threat; menacing; frightening.

As verbs the difference between foreboding and threatening

is that foreboding is present participle of lang=en while threatening is present participle of lang=en.

foreboding

English

Alternative forms

* forboding (much less commonly used)

Noun

(en noun)

A sense of evil to come.

* 1956 — , The City and the Stars , p 41

A sense of foreboding , the like of which he had never known before, hung heavily on him.

An evil omen.

Synonyms

* augury

Adjective

(en adjective)

Of ominous significance; serving as an ill omen; foretelling of harm or difficulty.

Verb

(head)

threatening

English

Alternative forms

* threatning (obsolete)

Verb

(head)

Adjective

(en adjective)

Presenting a threat; menacing; frightening.

Derived terms

* life-threatening * nonthreatening, non-threatening * threateningly * threateningness * unthreatening

Noun

(en noun)

An act of threatening; a threat.

* 1526 , (William Tyndale), trans. Bible , Acts IV:

And nowe lorde beholde their threatenynges , and graunte unto thy servauntes wyth all confydence to speake thy worde.

* Charles Dickens, Pincher Astray

The butcher's boy — a fierce and beefy youth, who openly defied the dog, and waved him off with hurlings of his basket and threatenings of his feet, accompanied by growls of "Git out, yer beast!" — now entered silently