Meaning & use
sinister
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Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Seeming to promise something harmful or evil, so that it makes you feel uneasy or afraid.
Grammar: Used before a noun or after a verb: a sinister figure, the silence felt sinister.
Patterns
- a sinister look
- sound sinister
- something sinister
A sinister figure stood under the streetlight, watching the house.
The old mansion had a sinister atmosphere.
His smile turned sinister when he heard the news.
adjectivecomparable
Showing hidden bad intentions, especially when the real purpose of an act or plan is secret.
Grammar: Often used with motive, plot, or purpose: a sinister motive.
Patterns
- a sinister motive
- a sinister plot
Detectives found no sinister motive behind the fire.
The report hints at a sinister plot to rig the vote.
There was nothing sinister in her request.
Word forms
| comparative | more sinister |
|---|---|
| superlative | most sinister |
Common combinations
- sinister motive
- There was no sinister motive behind the gift.
- sinister figure
- A sinister figure lurked in the doorway.
- sinister laugh
- The villain let out a sinister laugh.
- sinister undertones
- The song has sinister undertones despite the cheerful tune.
- sound sinister
- The whispering began to sound sinister.
- something sinister
- I felt there was something sinister about the empty house.
Synonyms and how they differ
- menacing
- Menacing suggests an open threat of harm, while sinister can describe a vague feeling of evil.
- ominous
- Ominous suggests that something bad is about to happen, as with dark clouds, while sinister suggests evil intent.
- creepy
- Creepy is informal and means frightening in an unpleasant way, but sinister sounds more serious.
- evil
- Evil states that something is truly bad, whereas sinister only gives the impression of danger.
Opposites
Word family
- sinisterly adverb
- in a threatening or evil-seeming way
- sinisterness noun
- the quality of seeming evil
Commonly confused: sinister or sinuous? sinister or sinister vs sinner?
sinister vs sinuous
Sinuous means curving and winding, as a snake does, and is not about evil.
sinister vs sinister vs sinner
A sinner is someone who sins, whereas sinister describes a threatening look or feeling.
Practice
Which situation could best be described as sinister?
Choose one answer.
Sinister suggests something threatening or evil. Only the shadowy follower gives that impression, and the other scenes are pleasant.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sinister”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.