There was something sinister about him that she found disturbing.
...a sinister and frightening place.
...the illegal and sinister trade in stolen cultural artefacts.
Synonyms: threatening, evil, menacing, forbidding More Synonyms of sinister
sinister in British English
(ˈsɪnɪstə)
adjective
1.
threatening or suggesting evil or harm; ominous
a sinister glance
2.
evil or treacherous, esp in a mysterious way
3. (usually postpositive) heraldry
of, on, or starting from the left side from the bearer's point of view and therefore on the spectator's right
4. archaic
located on the left side
5. archaic
(of signs, omens, etc) unfavourable
Compare (for senses 3, 4) dexter1
Derived forms
sinisterly (ˈsinisterly)
adverb
sinisterness (ˈsinisterness)
noun
Word origin
C15: from Latin sinister on the left-hand side, considered by Roman augurs to be the unlucky one
sinister in American English
(ˈsɪnɪstər)
adjective
1.
a. Archaic
on, to, or toward the left-hand side; left
b. Heraldry
on the left side of a shield (the right as seen by the viewer)
see also dexter
2.
threatening harm, evil, or misfortune; ominous; portentous
sinister storm clouds
3.
wicked, evil, or dishonest, esp. in some dark, mysterious way
a sinister plot
4.
most unfavorable or unfortunate; disastrous
met a sinister fate
SYNONYMY NOTE: sinister, in this connection, applies to that which can be interpreted as presaging imminentdanger or evil [a sinister smile]; baleful refers to that which is inevitably deadly, destructive, pernicious, etc. [a baleful influence]; malign is applied to that which is regarded as having an inherent tendency toward evil ordestruction [a malign doctrine]
Derived forms
sinisterly (ˈsinisterly)
adverb
sinisterness (ˈsinisterness)
noun
Word origin
ME sinistre < L sinister, left-hand, or unlucky (side), orig. lucky (side) < IE base *sene-, to prepare, achieve > Sans sánīyān, more favorable: early Roman augurs faced south, with the east (lucky side) to theleft, but the Greeks (followed by later Romans) faced north
Examples of 'sinister' in a sentence
sinister
Then sinister forces step in to make mayhem.
The Sun (2011)
With the promise of early summer comes something far more sinister.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
These do not suggest that anything sinister or progressive is going on.
Lewith, George & Horn, Sandra Drug-Free Pain Relief (1987)
What we see now is the preparation once again for something sinister.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Or were more sinister forces behind her desire to disregard school policy?
The Sun (2006)
Was there something more sinister going on?
John Foot Calcio: A History of Italian Football (2006)
But are sinister forces at work and should she just go home to safety?
The Sun (2015)
It also helps to allay the fear that pain must mean that something sinister is going on.
Lewith, George & Horn, Sandra Drug-Free Pain Relief (1987)
Has religious conservatism drifted into something sinister?
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
We arrived when it was just thinking about icing over and there was this slightly sinister light hanging over it.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
They have a slightly sinister vibe.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
That is down to consistency, not anything more sinister.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Something that's slightly decadent and sinister for a secluded spot.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
This Hammer film pulls the usual trick of pitting paranormal sceptics against a sinister force.
The Sun (2014)
As the story proceeds, a sinister force emerges.
The Times Literary Supplement (2013)
I am not suggesting anything sinister or conspiratorial.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Most of the billing blunders are the result of technology failures or human error, rather than anything more sinister.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It is sinister and mysterious.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
It's beautiful and slightly sinister.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Underlying sales did slow over the summer, but this is thought to be down to the weather rather than anything more sinister.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
He denied that there was anything sinister about his departure, which he said was down to neither a boardroom dispute nor regulatory issues.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Meanwhile, letters arrive hinting at the wider, slightly sinister world outside.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Word lists with
sinister
heraldry
In other languages
sinister
British English: sinister /ˈsɪnɪstə/ ADJECTIVE
Someone or something that is sinister seems evil or harmful.
There was something sinister about him that she found disturbing.
American English: sinister
Arabic: مَشْئُوم
Brazilian Portuguese: sinistro
Chinese: 险恶的
Croatian: zloslutan
Czech: zlověstný
Danish: ildevarslende
Dutch: sinister
European Spanish: siniestro
Finnish: pahaenteinen
French: sinistre
German: unheimlich
Greek: κακόβουλος
Italian: sinistro
Japanese: 不吉な
Korean: 불길한
Norwegian: truende
Polish: złowieszczy
European Portuguese: sinistro
Romanian: sinistru
Russian: зловещий
Latin American Spanish: siniestro
Swedish: ödesdiger
Thai: ชั่วร้าย
Turkish: uğursuz
Ukrainian: зловісний
Vietnamese: nham hiểm
Chinese translation of 'sinister'
sinister
(ˈsɪnɪstəʳ)
adj
[event, figure, reason]邪恶(惡)的 (xié'è de)
(adjective)
Definition
threatening or suggesting evil or harm
There was something sinister about him that she found disturbing.
Synonyms
threatening
a threatening atmosphere of rising tension and stress
evil
menacing
His bushy eyebrows gave his face a menacing look.
forbidding
There was something severe and forbidding about her face.
dire
ominous
There was an ominous silence at the other end of the phone.
malign
the malign influence jealousy had on their lives
disquieting
malignant
a malignant minority indulging in crime and violence
malevolent
Her stare was malevolent, her mouth a thin line.
baleful
He had a baleful look.
injurious
bodeful
Opposites
good
,
encouraging
,
reassuring
,
calming
,
benign
,
heartening
,
benevolent
,
auspicious
,
propitious
Additional synonyms
in the sense of baleful
Definition
harmful, menacing, or vindictive
He had a baleful look.
Synonyms
menacing,
threatening,
dangerous,
frightening,
evil,
deadly,
forbidding,
intimidating,
harmful,
sinister,
ominous,
malignant,
hurtful,
vindictive,
pernicious (formal),
malevolent,
noxious,
venomous,
ruinous,
intimidatory,
minatory,
maleficent,
bodeful,
louring or lowering,
minacious
in the sense of forbidding
Definition
severe and threatening in appearance or manner
There was something severe and forbidding about her face.
Synonyms
threatening,
severe,
frightening,
hostile,
grim,
menacing,
sinister,
daunting,
ominous,
unfriendly,
foreboding,
baleful,
bodeful
in the sense of malevolent
Definition
wishing evil to others
Her stare was malevolent, her mouth a thin line.
Synonyms
spiteful,
hostile,
vicious,
malicious,
malign,
malignant,
vindictive,
pernicious (formal),
vengeful,
hateful,
baleful,
rancorous,
evil-minded,
maleficent,
ill-natured
Synonyms of 'sinister'
sinister
Explore 'sinister' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of malign
Definition
evil in influence or effect
the malign influence jealousy had on their lives
Synonyms
evil,
bad,
destructive,
harmful,
hostile,
vicious,
malignant,
wicked,
hurtful,
pernicious (formal),
malevolent,
baleful,
deleterious (formal),
injurious,
baneful,
maleficent
in the sense of malignant
Definition
tending to cause great harm
a malignant minority indulging in crime and violence
Synonyms
hostile,
harmful,
bitter,
vicious,
destructive,
malicious,
malign,
hurtful,
pernicious (formal),
malevolent,
spiteful,
baleful,
injurious,
inimical,
maleficent,
of evil intent
in the sense of menacing
His bushy eyebrows gave his face a menacing look.
Synonyms
threatening,
dangerous,
alarming,
frightening,
forbidding,
looming,
intimidating,
ominous,
baleful,
intimidatory,
minatory,
bodeful,
louring or lowering,
minacious
in the sense of ominous
Definition
warning of evil
There was an ominous silence at the other end of the phone.