portentously
1
9.0
- adverb
- /pɔrˈtɛntəsli/
- Formal
:
portentosamente
- "He frowned portentously."
- the narrator continued portentously
- say that so portentously
Examples
-
A doctor shrugged his shoulders portentously, sighed, and said: "All we can give you is the facts!"
Fiction book (1997) -
But not as noble as the truth, she adds portentously, then pauses.
Fiction book (2001) -
- Don't say that so portentously.
-
By the time I finished, he was nodding portentously.
Fiction book (1990) -
Evangelists intoned portentously that the Rapture was at hand.
Fiction book (1999) -
And after prolonged reflection, he hands it back to the clerk and announces portentously, "Blintzes."
Fiction book (1996) -
The dark clouds gathered, and the sky grew silent, portentously hinting at an approaching storm.
-
She spoke portentously about the dangers of ignoring climate change, warning that the consequences could be dire.
-
As the clock struck midnight, the old man looked around portentously, suggesting that something significant was about to occur.
Synonyms
12
6.9
In a way that shows something bad will happen
6
6.3
In a way that seems likely to hurt or scare someone
2
7.4
In a way that tells what will happen
1
3.9
In a way that tells someone to be careful
1
7.0
In a way that shows something important will happen
In a way that shows something bad will happen
In a way that seems evil or threatening
In a way that hints at something that will happen later
How Ominous
Surface Forms
Morphology
portentously = portentous (transparent) = portent + ous + ly
The adverb is a regular -ly formation from the adjective 'portentous', whose meaning directly relates to 'portent' (an omen).
Etymology
Portentously comes from portent, a word for an 'omen' or warning, and from the verb portend, which means 'to warn of what will happen'. So, to act portentously is to behave like a serious sign that something important or bad is coming.