Dictionary

ominously en · ADV

Pronunciation

• /ˈɑmənəsli/ (General-American)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈɒmɪnəsli/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Etymology tree English ominous Middle English -ly English -ly English ominously From ominous + -ly.

Meanings

1. In an ominous manner; with sinister foreboding.
   • His nostrils flared ominously and his fists opened and closed at his sides. 1983, Patricia Hagan, Golden Roses:
   • Just as the Census Bureau forecasts growing racial diversity under any future level of immigration, it likewise projects ominously slow growth in America’s working-age population without more immigration. 2021 April 23, Ronald Brownstein, “The racist ‘replacement theory’ has it all backward”, in CNN:
   • From first to last he was ominously polite, and ominously silent. 1868 January 4 – June 6, [William] Wilkie Collins, “Second Period. The Discovery of the Truth. (1848–1849.) […] [Fourth Narrative. Extracted from the Journal of Ezra Jennings.]”, in The Moonstone. A Romance. […], volume III, London: Tinsley Brothers, […], published 1868, →OCLC, page 195:
   • However, the next day dawned ominously with an overcast sky and we postponed our start till 8 o'clock. 1999, Harish Kapadia, “Accident and Rescue in the Nanda Devi Sanctuary”, in Across Peaks & Passes in Kumaun Himalaya, New Delhi: Indus Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 70:

Forms

Translations (11)

cmn 不详地 (in an ominous manner) · fi pahaenteisesti (in an ominous manner) · mk злокобно (in an ominous manner) · ro sinistru (in an ominous manner) · mk зловесно (in an ominous manner) · ca ominosament (in an ominous manner) · ru злове́ще (in an ominous manner) · ro amenințător (in an ominous manner) · cmn 不吉利地 (in an ominous manner) · aht hwdzax (in an ominous manner) · fi enteellisesti (in an ominous manner)