inauspicious

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

inauspicious — 形容詞

  • 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

不祥的

顯示開頭或預兆不順利的

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.

新餐廳開幕當晚主廚切到手,開局非常不順。

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

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

前三場比賽就接連輸球,Cyrus 的網球賽季開頭很不順。

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.