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Portentous vs Threatening - What's the difference?

portentous | threatening |

As adjectives the difference between portentous and threatening

is that portentous is of momentous or ominous significance while threatening is presenting a threat; menacing; frightening.

As a verb threatening is

present participle of lang=en.

As a noun threatening is

an act of threatening; a threat.

portentous

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Of momentous or ominous significance.
  • Ominously prophetic.
  • Puffed up with vanity.

    • Related terms

    * portent

    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