1
as in forerunner
something believed to be a sign or warning of a future event
a red sky in the morning can be a portent of a coming storm
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in miracle
something extraordinary or surprising
a scout was sent to have a look at this teenage pitcher who was supposed to be the latest portent of the baseball world
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of portent
The company’s example was seen by many as a portent of the AI future.
—
Geoff Colvin,
Fortune,
12 Apr. 2026
Rather than receiving traditional care, however, Hylton was unwittingly plunged into a cold experiment in using remote work to offset hospital staffing shortages, which could be a grim portent in an age of AI automation.
—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
8 Apr. 2026
This was only a portent of things to come — the protests were dwarfed by massive protests and riots against the regime in September 2022-2023, then the largest protests in December 2025 to January 2026.
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Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Mar. 2026
That seemed a portent of more to come as the June primary inches ever closer.
—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for portent
Geoff Colvin,
Fortune,
12 Apr. 2026
Rather than receiving traditional care, however, Hylton was unwittingly plunged into a cold experiment in using remote work to offset hospital staffing shortages, which could be a grim portent in an age of AI automation.
—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
8 Apr. 2026
This was only a portent of things to come — the protests were dwarfed by massive protests and riots against the regime in September 2022-2023, then the largest protests in December 2025 to January 2026.
—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Mar. 2026
That seemed a portent of more to come as the June primary inches ever closer.
—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for portent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portent
Noun
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The group, which includes Chrysler, Fiat, Peugeot and Citroen, is becoming a forerunner in the promising progress of a new type of vehicle battery.
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In 2007, the Oatley family opened Qualia, their 30-acre flagship property and the forerunner of Australia’s luxury lodges.
Noun
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Syd was always going places, but Richie and Tina — and, of course, the fabulous Fak brothers, Neil (Matty Matheson) and Ted (Ricky Staffieri) — were the miracles of the piece.
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But, as a figure of the Enlightenment and thus a believer in reason and science, the former president discounted the miracles associated with Jesus — including his virgin birth and supposed resurrection.
Noun
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This pick is also not a great omen for 2024 lottery pick Nikola Topić.
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There was a book in Sapphire’s den that ran a different set of numbers, the math of omens and outcomes.
Noun
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These unprecedented high temperatures, which can affect human, animal and plant health, as well as several industries, are due to a weather phenomenon known as an omega block.
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Earthquakes are natural phenomena that typically happen at the boundaries of Earth’s tectonic plates.
Noun
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Sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean have topped daily warm records for more than 20 days in June, a precursor to what many scientists expect to be one of the strongest El Niño events on record.
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Today, financial independence is often about knowledge—and career opportunity—as a precursor to power.
Noun
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This avoidance tactic can explain the modern mismatch between sounds and spelling in wolf, wood and wonder.
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No wonder Yard Act realized music is the lifeline that just might pull us back out of the muck.
Noun
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What drags the installment down, however, is the sheer predictability and lack of dissent, with seven out of the nine votes being unanimous — a foreshadowing of seasons to come.
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With Hokum’s foreshadowing of a downbeat conclusion — and considering the rest of McCarthy’s filmography — Ohm’s survival feels unlikely.
Noun
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Durica said the event that shaped the world leaves behind much more than a board game and a marvel of engineering.
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The Amazing Race is a program that used to win this category year over year, and is considered a production marvel.
Cite this Entry
“Portent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portent. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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