: an occurrence or phenomenon (see phenomenon sense 1) believed to portend a future event : augury
The dark clouds were considered a bad omen.

Examples of omen in a Sentence

They regarded the win as a good omen for the team. omens of things to come
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
For England head coach Lee Carsley, positive omens surrounded him before this summer’s Under-21 European Championship had even begun. Art De Roché, New York Times, 28 June 2025 Every morning, my phone screen lights up to more ill omens. Jayson Greene, Time, 17 June 2025 A couple of the bad omens: ◾ Judas, the 13th person at the Last Supper in the Bible, is believed to have betrayed Jesus. ◾ Friday: Several unsettling events occurred on the day, including Jesus' crucifixion. Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 13 June 2025 Certain owls and eagles were considered powerful divinatory omens, while smaller avian species like thrushes were popular as both pets and meals. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for omen

Word History

Etymology

Latin omin-, omen

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of omen was in 1582

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Omen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/omen. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

omen

noun
: a happening believed to be a sign or warning of some future event

More from Merriam-Webster on omen

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