baleful

adjective

bale·​ful ˈbāl-fəl 

1

: deadly or pernicious in influence

baleful effects

2

: foreboding or threatening evil

gave him a baleful look

balefully

ˈbāl-fə-lē 

adverb

balefulness

ˈbāl-fəl-nəs 

noun

Did you know?

The bale of baleful comes from Old English bealu ("evil"), and the bane of the similar-looking baneful comes from Old English bana ("slayer" or "murderer"). Baleful and baneful are alike in meaning as well as appearance, and they are sometimes used in quite similar contexts—but they usually differ in emphasis. Baleful typically describes what threatens or portends evil (e.g., "a baleful look," "baleful predictions"). Baneful applies typically to what causes evil or destruction (e.g., "a baneful secret," "the baneful bite of the serpent"). Both words are used to modify terms like influence, effect, and result, and in such uses there is little that distinguishes them.

Synonyms

• dire
• direful
• doomy
• foreboding
• ill
• ill-boding
• inauspicious
• menacing
• minatory
• ominous
• portentous
• sinister
• threatening

Choose the Right Synonym for baleful

sinister, baleful, malign mean seriously threatening evil or disaster.

sinister suggests a general or vague feeling of fear or apprehension on the part of the observer.

a sinister aura haunts the place

baleful imputes perniciousness or destructiveness to something whether working openly or covertly.

exerting a corrupt and baleful influence

malign applies to what is inherently evil or harmful.

the malign effects of racism

Examples of baleful in a Sentence

the baleful effects of water pollution

a dark, baleful sky portending a tornado

Recent Examples on the Web

The company, Wave, is taking aim at AAT deficiency, marked by scarce or defective alpha-1 antitrypsin, a protein that neutralizes baleful enzymes released by immune cells. —Bymitch Leslie, science.org, 24 Oct. 2024

How can this be, given plastic’s baleful reputation? —Steve Forbes, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024

This lushly red oval is obvious even through small telescopes, looking like a baleful eye staring out from the enormous gas giant planet. —Phil Plait, Scientific American, 12 July 2024

No mention either of the untold billions of dollars lost due to their failure to truly reform the baleful criminal justice and bail laws that continue to allow sanguinary criminals unabated opportunity to terrorize the law-abiding public. —Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 19 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English balefull "(of humans or animals) bent upon mischief or destruction, malevolent, (of things) pernicious," also "wretched, miserable," going back to Old English bealluful "full of evil, sinful," from bealu bale entry 1 + -ful -ful entry 1

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

baleful

adjective

bale·​ful ˈbāl-fəl 

1

: deadly or harmful in influence

2

: threatening harm or evil

a baleful look

balefully

-fə-lē 

adverb

balefulness noun