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 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 Researchers created a test to screen drivers who can perceive omens before a road accident occurs. — Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 26 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
  • Always alert to mood swings, Hollywood this week is coping with some dauntingly positive portents.
    — Peter Bart, Deadline, 25 June 2026
  • But there is reason for hope, because the season-one finale of Widow’s Bay is like a beacon in the dark, and all the signs and portents are lining up.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 17 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
  • The biggest difference between prediction markets and traditional sports betting is how people put their money on an outcome.
    — Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 July 2026
  • There have been times when that prediction was teetering but England has risen to the occasion.
    — Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 11 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
  • Proxima is developing stellarator technology, one of a handful of approaches to fusion, and hopes to have its fusion demonstrator — a proof-of-concept precursor to a commercial power plant — up and running in the early 2030s.
    — Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 7 July 2026
  • Serotonin is a precursor for melatonin, a hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycleSince.
    — Jillian Kubala, Health, 7 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
  • An abundance of hints, clues and other helpful items await, not to mention a bonus Custom Wordle and plenty more.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 12 July 2026
  • The hint of an organizing ethos makes their second consecutive team-up with producer and boomer whisperer Andrew Watt feel connected to and entrenched in the modern world while the band pokes around its sweet spots.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 10 July 2026
Definition of hint

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Omen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/omen. Accessed 14 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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