English vocabulary · C1
Portentous
/pɔːrˈtɛntəs/ · adj.
It means feeling like a serious warning of something bad, or being overly dramatic and heavy.
Continue in the learning app for video lessons and review.
Example sentences
- The dark clouds felt portentous before the storm.
- His portentous tone made everyone stop and listen.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- port — sign (from Latin)
- tend — stretch toward (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- OMINOUS (warning of impending trouble or danger)
- THREATENING (signaling something bad may happen)
- SOLEMN (overly serious and self-important)
Words with the same root
tend — stretch toward
- extend — to stretch out or make longer
- intend — to stretch toward a goal — to have a plan or purpose
- pretend — to stretch forward a false image — to act as if something is true
Lesson notes
Portentous. It means feeling like a serious warning of something bad, or being overly dramatic and heavy.
Similar words are ominous, threatening, and solemn. Use portentous when a moment feels like a sign of something bad coming.
The dark clouds felt portentous before the storm. His portentous tone made everyone stop and listen.
From Latin. Port means sign. Tend means stretch toward. A sign stretching toward danger: that feeling is portentous.