Meaning & use
sinisterly
Last updated
UK/ˈsɪnɪstəli/
US/ˈsɪnɪstɚli/
Meaning
adverbnot comparableliterary
In a way that suggests evil, danger or a hidden harmful purpose.
Grammar: Modifies a verb or adjective: the house loomed sinisterly.
Patterns
- smile sinisterly
- loom sinisterly
The old house loomed sinisterly over the foggy road.
He smiled sinisterly and closed the door behind us.
The music rose sinisterly as the villain appeared.
Common combinations
- smile sinisterly
- The stranger smiled sinisterly at the child.
- loom sinisterly
- The tower loomed sinisterly in the dusk.
- whisper sinisterly
- The voice whispered sinisterly from the dark.
- glow sinisterly
- A red light glowed sinisterly in the cellar.
Synonyms and how they differ
- menacingly
- This stresses a clear threat, while sinisterly suggests an unsettling hidden evil.
- ominously
- This suggests a warning of something bad to come and not necessarily wickedness.
- darkly
- This is milder and may only mean gloomily.
- wickedly
- This is more about cruel or mischievous intent, and can also be playful.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: sinisterly or sinuously?
sinisterly vs sinuously
Sinuously means in a smooth, winding way, as a snake moves, and has no sense of evil.
Practice
The painting's eyes seemed to follow us ___ across the room.
Choose one answer.
Sinisterly gives the sense of hidden evil. The other adverbs are possible grammatically but do not suggest menace.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sinisterly”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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