Misgive

To cause doubt or apprehension; to give rise to feelings of distrust or worry about a future event or situation. It implies a premonition of something undesirable, a sense that things might go wrong. The feeling often stems from an unclear, intuitive sense of something being amiss rather than concrete evidence. The word suggests a subjective emotional response of unease or trepidation, a form of internal warning. This anxiety can influence decision-making, prompting caution or even the avoidance of certain actions to prevent potential negative outcomes. The term has historical usage, often found in literature, and remains relevant for expressing inner turmoil and uncertainty about future events.

Misgive meaning with examples

• As the storm clouds gathered on the horizon, a sense of dread began to misgive her. Despite the sturdy construction of her home, the intensity of the approaching tempest triggered a feeling of impending doom. This unspoken apprehension caused her to double-check her shutters, a clear illustration of how intuition can influence action when foreboding strikes.
• He could not shake the feeling that the deal he was making seemed to be set with pitfalls, and as the papers were passed between the two parties, the subtle misgive about the project slowly became overwhelming, even though he couldn't point to any concrete reason for the lack of faith in his decision.
• Even with all the assurances given to him, his lack of experience caused misgive when he considered the mountain of paperwork involved, his apprehension rising as he questioned his preparedness. The immense scope of the project filled him with a growing unease that he couldn't ignore, fearing that he might fail in carrying out the complicated work.
• The detective's gut **misgave** him, a sinking feeling telling him something was not right even as he had followed all the clues to the killer, but the feeling of unrest remained with him. The final verdict of the trial would be the last piece of the puzzle and would either resolve this discomfort or expose his misgivings as valid.