Thesaurus results for PORTENT

portent

noun

ˈpȯr-ˌtent

Definition of portent

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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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 portent Always alert to mood swings, Hollywood this week is coping with some dauntingly positive portents. — Peter Bart, Deadline, 25 June 2026 In the shadows of the long-hut, the elders muttered among themselves—of portents and crops and weather and the storage of grain. — Maggie O’Farrell, Literary Hub, 2 June 2026 That Mann and his daughter, at a posh Frankfurt hotel party, glimpse so many remnants of the Nazi era — including Erika’s ex-husband, who collaborated with the regime — is another portent of darkness. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 14 May 2026 Hurley says there are already portents of future protests against SpaceX’s plan, sparked by its lofting just 10,000 Starlink satellites so far into low Earth orbit. — Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for portent

Recent Examples of Synonyms for portent

Noun

Dubbed the ‘American Turtle’ for its appearance, the submarine made three attempts to blow up British ships without success, but is considered the forerunner of modern submarines.

— Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 16 Sep. 2026
Margaret and Alice are the forerunners of Lucy and Ethel, and Shakespeare’s comedy, written expressly to entertain, gives us a sense of what an Elizabethan-era situation comedy might look like.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026

Definition of forerunner

Noun

For shoppers who have grown skeptical of miracle bottles and 10-step promises, a quieter approach to hair is moving into mainstream American retail.

— Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2026
And Latif comes back to life, a surreal battlefield miracle that could seem out of place in a movie dominated by a realistically textured world.

— CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of miracle

Noun

While the particularly large number of closing colleges in Vermont may seem a bad omen for an effort to open a new one, Holcombe said experiencing the problem has made the state that much more focused on it.

— Jon Marcus, NPR, 1 Sep. 2026
Hopefully that is not an omen for a wildly inflated price on the top models.

— Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of omen

Noun

Infrared sensors detect thermal signatures and provide information based on a different physical phenomenon from radar.

— Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 28 Sep. 2026
Some have done so, the prosecutor explained, by slow-walking directives of dubious merit, such as orders to investigate voter fraud by noncitizens—a phenomenon that Trump has falsely claimed is rampant.

— Eyal Press, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of phenomenon

Noun

The process, which typically is a precursor to involuntary staff reductions, just concluded with the cooling-off period for those who had opted in ending this past weekend, sources said.

— Dade Hayes, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2026
The coal and steel organization was the first among European institutions that were precursors to what eventually became the European Union.

— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of precursor

Noun

Back in the series premiere, the Hal-o-gram’s first words serve as cheeky foreshadowing for the big reveal that ends that episode (aka revealing Hal’s dead body).

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 20 Sep. 2026
What detracts from the film is the clumsily emphatic foreshadowing of a dramatic plot turn, which is pretty much spelled out by an alarm company technician who sells Miguel on the wisdom of upgrading to a next-level home security system.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of foreshadowing

Noun

Everyone gets mail, and the marvel of the postal system’s reach and distribution was intentionally used as an anthrax dissemination machine.

— Daniel Jernigan, STAT, 26 Sep. 2026
Few people realize it these days, but both the rifle and round were technical marvels.

— John B. Snow, Outdoor Life, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of marvel

Browse Nearby Words

portends

portent

portentous

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“Portent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portent. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of portent

noun

Example Sentences

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