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Ominous vs Harbinger - What's the difference?

ominous | harbinger |

As an adjective ominous

is of or pertaining to an omen or to omens; being or exhibiting an omen; significant.

As a noun harbinger is

a person or thing that foreshadows or foretells the coming of someone or something.

As a verb harbinger is

to announce; to be a harbinger of.

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

    * *

    harbinger

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person or thing that foreshadows or foretells the coming of someone or something.
  • * Landor
    • I knew by these harbingers who were coming.
  • (obsolete) One who provides lodgings; especially, the officer of the English royal household who formerly preceded the court when travelling, to provide and prepare lodgings.
    • (Fuller)

    Synonyms

    * forewarning, herald, omen, premonition, sign, signal, prophet

    External links

    *

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To announce; to be a harbinger of.

    • Synonyms

    * herald

    References

    *

    See also

    *bellwether