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baleful

[ beyl-fuhl ]

/ ˈbeɪl fəl /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR baleful ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

full of menacing or malign influences; pernicious.

Obsolete. wretched; miserable.

Origin of baleful

before 1000; Middle English; Old English bealofull. See bale², -ful

SYNONYMS FOR baleful

1 harmful, malign, injurious, detrimental; evil, wicked; deadly.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR baleful ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM baleful

bale·ful·ly, adverb bale·ful·ness, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH baleful

baleful baneful

Words nearby baleful

balearic islands, baleboste, baleen, baleen whale, balefire, baleful, balenciaga, baler, balestra, balewa, balfour

Example sentences from the Web for baleful

She will unearth more than their remains in a quest that becomes a journey of baleful discovery and painful self-discovery.

Holocaust Horrors Haunt the Films ‘Ida’ And ‘The German Doctor’ |Jack Schwartz |May 12, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
There was not a suspicion of the baleful "I told you so" in her manner.

Wanted: A Cook |Alan Dale
If we reject it the vivid colors will grow pale; it will be a baleful meteor, portending tempest and war.

Washington and the American Republic, Vol. 3. |Benson J. Lossing
The Circes deserted under a baleful moon, ere the brutalizing change had come!

The Cross of Berny |Emile de Girardin

When Doby straightened himself to ease his tired back his eyes met the baleful gleam of an Indian's glance.

Strange Stories of the Great Valley |Abbie Johnston Grosvenor
Weary twisted in the saddle and sent him a baleful glance, which was not at all like Weary the sunny-hearted.

Flying U Ranch |B. M. Bower

British Dictionary definitions for baleful

baleful

/ (ˈbeɪlfʊl) /

adjective

harmful, menacing, or vindictive

archaic dejected

Derived forms of baleful

balefully, adverb balefulness, noun