ill-omened
/ˌɪl ˈəʊmənd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌɪl ˈəʊmənd/ (ame, ipa)
ill-omened — adjective
1. happening or beginning with unlucky signs that suggest a bad result — for exampl
happening or beginning with unlucky signs that suggest a bad result — for example, a journey that starts with delays and lost luggage, or a business deal that runs into problems from day one.
Kofi's ill-omened fishing trip began with a broken engine and ended with an empty net.
collocation: ill-omened + [event noun]
The ill-omened festival was cancelled when the main stage collapsed during rehearsals.
Several ill-omened business deals were abandoned after the partners noticed strange accounting errors.
Historians describe the election as an ill-omened event that divided the nation.
Amara knew the year was ill-omened when her grandmother's antique clock stopped at exactly midnight.
- ill-fated
slightly stronger; suggests failure has already happened or is completely certain
- doomed
stronger and more dramatic; implies failure is unavoidable
- inauspicious
more neutral and formal; focuses on conditions not promising success
- unlucky
more general and informal; used for everyday bad outcomes
- auspicious
formal; marked by signs of future success
- promising
common; showing signs of a good result
文法句型
ill-omened + noun
用法筆記
This adjective is most common in formal or literary writing. It frequently appears before a noun (attributive position) to describe events, journeys, business deals, or other undertakings that begin with clear warning signs of failure. The predicative use (e.g., 'The year was ill-omened') is less common but acceptable.