balefully

B3A1L1E1F4U1L1L1Y4

adverb

In a baleful, ominous manner.

OriginMiddle English balfulli →
Scrabble 17
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Meanings

adverbbalefully (comparative more balefully, superlative most balefully)

comparative more balefully · superlative most balefully

  1. In a baleful, ominous manner.

    The toad stared balefully at his reflection and puffed himself up to show that he wasn't really frightened.

    1971, Richard Carpenter, Catweazle and the Magic Zodiac, Harmondsworth: Puffin Books, page 22

Origin

  1. Middle Englishbalfulli
  2. Englishbalefully

From Middle English balfulli; equivalent to baleful + -ly.

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

balefully. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/balefully

MLA

“balefully.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/balefully. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “balefully,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/balefully.

Source: balefully on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.