omen

noun

ˈō-mən How to pronounce omen (audio)
Definition of omennext
as in portent
something believed to be a sign or warning of a future event some people still believe that a black cat crossing your path is a bad omen

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of omen And what might be a good omen has been unearthed during the building activity at Sojourner Place at Park. — Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 20 June 2026 Long before scientists understood solar wind or magnetism, people associated auroras with spirits, omens, warriors, or celestial beings. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 June 2026 The release of the beloved birds on Sunday was also seen as a good omen for the Noto region, which is still recovering from the deadly 2024 earthquake. — ABC News, 31 May 2026 While other rulers of the era relied on religious omens or superstition to guide their kingdoms, Aristotle taught the young prince that the universe could be understood through human reason and keen observation. — Steve Muscato, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for omen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for omen
  1. portent
  2. forerunner
  3. augury
  4. prediction
  5. foreshadowing
  6. precursor
  7. presage
  8. hint
Noun
  • The push for the category, which comes after Hot Ones earned Daytime Emmys noms in 2022 and 2023, carries symbolic portent, given the category’s housing of traditional late night; a nomination would truly signal a passing of the torch.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 8 July 2026
  • Always alert to mood swings, Hollywood this week is coping with some dauntingly positive portents.
    — Peter Bart, Deadline, 25 June 2026
Definition of portent
Noun
  • The city had a history of assimilating such yearners, most notably Madonna, Swift’s forerunner and her own Middle American transplant success story.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2026
  • The group, which includes Chrysler, Fiat, Peugeot and Citroen, is becoming a forerunner in the promising progress of a new type of vehicle battery.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 June 2026
Definition of forerunner
Noun
  • But the most promising augury for season two is that Widow’s Bay is old-school monster-of-the-week episodic television.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 17 June 2026
  • The rule of thumb is that if a party sees a mass exodus of its members in Congress, that’s a bad augury.
    — Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 5 Sep. 2025
Definition of augury
Noun
  • Advertisement For many who work in climate, this season of extremes has revived the longstanding prediction that the effects of rising global temperatures will help drive a resurgence in concern among policymakers and the general public.
    — Justin Worland, Time, 18 July 2026
  • The highest call came from Blair’s fellow brokerage Raymond James at $800; the lowest was Stifel’s prediction of $190.
    — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 18 July 2026
Definition of prediction
Noun
  • 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.
    — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 4 June 2026
  • The late-May timing of the FISU announcement could serve as consequential foreshadowing of the International Skating Union’s (ISU) annual congress.
    — Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Definition of foreshadowing
Noun
  • For example, a single enrichment run could routinely produce ytterbium-176, the precursor used to manufacture lutetium-177 (Lu-177).
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 15 July 2026
  • The faction’s precursors backed ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, Muhammad’s son-in-law and cousin, immediately after Muhammad’s death in 632.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 July 2026
Definition of precursor
Noun
  • Sometimes, the departure of an underperforming executive or official presages improvements ahead.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
  • But a lack of accountability presages failure for California’s big reform.
    — Rachel Canter, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
Definition of presage
Noun
  • Dark romances often blend genres and may include hints of dark academia, fairytale or fantasy.
    — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 18 July 2026
  • After hitting a three in the California Classic, Goldin hasn’t been able to build on that hint of extended range.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026
Definition of hint

Browse Nearby Words

omegas
omen
omens
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Cite this Entry

“Omen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/omen. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on omen

Nglish: Translation of omen for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about omen

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