inauspicious

/ˌɪnɔːˈspɪʃəs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌɪnɔːˈspɪʃəs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌi-ˌnȯ-ˈspi-shəs/ (ame, mw)

inauspicious — adjective

  • inauspiciouspositive
  • more inauspiciouscomparative
  • most inauspicioussuperlative

1. suggesting that what is about to happen is likely to go badly or end in failure;

1.形容詞C2
釋義

suggesting that what is about to happen is likely to go badly or end in failure; for example, a missed train on the morning of a job interview, or a storm at the start of a wedding day.

例句

The new restaurant had an inauspicious opening night when the chef cut his hand.

predicative-style attribute modifying 'opening night' (event noun)

Losing the first three matches was an inauspicious start to Cyrus's tennis season.

common collocation: inauspicious + start

同義詞
  • unpromising

    very close in meaning; slightly more neutral and more common in everyday writing

  • ominous

    stronger; suggests something genuinely threatening rather than just a poor start

  • unfavourable

    broader; covers conditions that work against you, not only early signs

反義詞
  • auspicious

    direct opposite: signs that something will go well

  • promising

    more common everyday word for an encouraging start

用法筆記

Almost always used before a noun (attributive), most often with nouns naming a beginning, event, or sign — 'inauspicious start', 'inauspicious beginning', 'inauspicious sign', 'inauspicious day'. Rarely used after 'be' in everyday speech.

常見錯誤

❌The weather was very inauspicious yesterday.
✅It was an inauspicious morning for our outdoor wedding.
💡'inauspicious' usually describes an event, sign, or beginning, not the weather itself in isolation.
❌I felt inauspicious about the meeting.
✅The cancelled flight was an inauspicious sign for the trip.
💡'inauspicious' describes the situation or sign, not a person's feeling.