adj
baleful
Baleful (adj) means suggesting that something bad is about to happen; threatening.
adj
1
Suggesting that something bad is about to happen; threatening.
"In their excellent essay in The Atlantic endorsing disqualification, Luttig and Tribe remind us that the first president, in his 1796 Farewell Address, had foreseen many of the elements of this baleful disaster."
— Simon Schama, The real Rino (2023)
2
Sad and full of suffering.
3
Causing death; deadly.
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Etymology
From Middle English baleful, balful, baluful, from Old English bealuful, which was equivalent to bealu + -ful. By surface analysis, bale (“evil, woe”) + -ful. See bale for further etymology.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for baleful
See all rhymes for baleful →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of baleful?
"baleful" (adj) means suggesting that something bad is about to happen; threatening.
What is another word for baleful?
Other words for "baleful" include menacing, ominous, baneful, threatening, minacious, forbidding.
What is the opposite of baleful?
Opposites of "baleful" include salutary, advantageous, beneficial, beneficent.
What are the different meanings of baleful?
"baleful" has 3 main meanings: 1. Suggesting that something bad is about to happen; threatening; 2. Sad and full of suffering; 3. Causing death; deadly.
