# foreboding

/fɔɹˈboʊdɪŋ/ (US) · /fˈɔːbəʊdɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/foreboding
Updated: 2026-05-26

## Definition

a feeling that something bad is going to happen. It is like a dark cloud in your mind that makes you worry about the future.

For teachers: a feeling of expectation or prediction that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen. Often associated with a sense of dread or unease.

## Examples

- A sense of foreboding hung over the room.
- The dark, stormy sky gave the hikers a sense of foreboding before the heavy rain began.
- The protagonist's internal monologue is filled with a deep foreboding, as the author uses the approaching winter to mirror the character's growing fear of isolation.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.