1
as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come
a dark, baleful sky portending a tornado
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in adverse
causing or capable of causing harm
contends that the violent content of so much of popular entertainment is a baleful influence on our society
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in lethal
likely to cause or capable of causing death
a medicine that is beneficial in small doses but baleful in large
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of baleful
States such as Minnesota should also look to civil law as a basis for stopping baleful and unlawful ICE tactics.
—
Aziz Huq,
The Atlantic,
27 Jan. 2026
The other funnymen of the time—Milton Berle with his lewd suggestiveness, Jackie Gleason with his baleful roar—did the same shtick over and over.
—
David Denby,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
Orange County officials are the most recent to come under his baleful gaze.
—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 Aug. 2025
Dafoe’s presence and a distinctively baleful island ambience represent the chief selling points of this predominantly feel-bad exercise, premiering in Locarno’s Piazza Grande program.
—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
9 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for baleful
Aziz Huq,
The Atlantic,
27 Jan. 2026
The other funnymen of the time—Milton Berle with his lewd suggestiveness, Jackie Gleason with his baleful roar—did the same shtick over and over.
—
David Denby,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
Orange County officials are the most recent to come under his baleful gaze.
—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 Aug. 2025
Dafoe’s presence and a distinctively baleful island ambience represent the chief selling points of this predominantly feel-bad exercise, premiering in Locarno’s Piazza Grande program.
—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
9 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for baleful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for baleful
Adjective
-
The movie is an apex of film noir, filled with dark shadows, moody lighting and ominous swaying palm trees.
-
If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.
Adjective
-
In pharmacogenomics, understanding how genes affect drug efficacy helps doctors prescribe the right drug at the optimal dose while reducing adverse reactions.
-
Johnson was undone by revelations of his conduct during Covid lockdowns and Truss by the adverse market reaction to her 2022 mini-Budget.
Adjective
-
The weather service also warns not to leave children or pets unattended in vehicles, as car interiors can reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes.
-
At worst, the consequences can be lethal for mothers or babies.
Adjective
-
Because everyone will have access to the same information, AI will accentuate the value of personal connections, again promoting lineages and networks that at their most extreme may appear to be sinister establishment conspiracies.
-
Soon, Pinocchio – under the influence of a sinister Cricket (Robert Englund) — goes on a killing rampage to free James from everyone evil around him, and becoming a real boy in the process — one piece at a time.
Adjective
-
The plasma process also produced very little smoke or tar, reducing harmful secondary pollutants typically associated with biomass conversion and making the technology a cleaner way to produce renewable solid fuel.
-
At the same time, its flowers attract beneficial predatory insects, such as ladybugs and parasitic wasps, that naturally hunt harmful garden pests.
Adjective
-
At the same time, vaccination rates have declined, worrying experts that more people could become vulnerable to this potentially deadly but preventable infection.
-
The suspect, who has not yet been identified by police, was arrested in connection with the deadly shooting of 22-year-old Nasir Majied on Friday, June 5.
Adjective
-
If the sky becomes menacing and thunder becomes audible, seek out a safe place to seek shelter.
-
Enola fearlessly climbs to the top of the carriage while wearing her white wedding dress, aiming a shotgun at the menacing figure.
Adjective
-
According to 24/7 Wall Street, the $60 billion all-stock AI company Anysphere acquisition, a $20 billon debt offering, and the future end of the lockup have been particularly detrimental to the maintenance of the share prices.
-
There’s also the thought that onboarding a starting catcher midseason can be detrimental to a pitching staff, something that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has expressed in the past.
Cite this Entry
“Baleful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/baleful. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
