portentousness

/pɔrˈtɛntəsnəs/
noun
  1. The quality of being very serious or solemn, often in a way that seems overly dramatic or self-important.
    • The speaker's portentousness made the simple announcement feel like a royal decree.
    • The movie's portentousness was off-putting; every scene felt like it was trying to be profound.
    • She couldn't help but laugh at the portentousness of his tone when he declared the meeting 'historic.'
  2. The quality of being a sign or warning that something important, often bad, is going to happen.
    • Historians noted the portentousness of the king's strange dream before the war began.
    • The dark clouds and sudden silence added a sense of portentousness to the afternoon.
    • There was an air of portentousness in the old house, as if it held a dark secret.
Antonyms