sinister
/ˈsɪnɪstə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsɪnɪstər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsi-nə-stər archaic sə-ˈni-/ (ame, mw)
sinister — 形容詞
- sinisterpositive
- more sinistercomparative
- most sinistersuperlative
1. giving you an uneasy feeling that something bad, dangerous, or evil is nearby or
不祥的
令人覺得邪惡或危險將要發生的
giving you an uneasy feeling that something bad, dangerous, or evil is nearby or about to happen
A sinister figure in a black coat waited at the end of the dark alley.
一個穿著黑大衣的不祥人影站在漆黑的小巷盡頭等待著。
attributive: sinister + figure / person
The old factory had a sinister look that kept the local children away.
那座舊工廠有著不祥的外觀,讓附近的孩子們都不敢靠近。
Brooke noticed something sinister in her boss's smile during the staff meeting.
Brooke 在主管的笑容中察覺到一絲不祥的意味。
Selim felt a sinister presence in the room even though no one was there.
Selim 覺得房間裡有一股不祥的氣息,雖然房裡其實沒有人。
The letter contained a sinister threat that made the family call the police.
那封信裡藏著一個不祥的威脅,讓全家人決定報警。
- ominous
stronger focus on warning signs and predictions of future trouble; less about personal threat
- menacing
more directly threatening; suggests intention to harm
- threatening
broader and more general; can describe both people and situations
- creepy
informal; describes an unpleasant feeling of fear without a clear reason
文法句型
sinister + noun
something + sinister
用法筆記
Frequently used attributively before a noun (a sinister laugh), but also natural in predicative position after verbs like be, seem, or look (the silence seemed sinister). Common in mystery, horror, and thriller contexts.