Michael Luo
Did you know?
It may seem like a stretch to say that portend, beloved verb of seers, soothsayers, and meteorologists alike, is related to tendon—the word we use to refer to the dense white fibrous tissue that helps us, well, stretch—but it’s likely true. Portend comes from the Latin verb portendere (“to predict or foretell”), which in turn developed as a combination of the prefix por- (“forward”) and the verb tendere (“to stretch”). Tendere is thought to have led to tendon, among other words. So you might imagine portend as having a literal meaning of “stretching forward to predict.” In any event, the history of the word surely showcases the flexibility of our language.
Examples of portend in a Sentence
Michelle Krupa, CNN Money, 11 Jan. 2026
And being a clever child probably still portends being a successful adult.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 9 Jan. 2026
That loss portended woe for Winnipeg, beginning its freefall.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 8 Jan. 2026
The state’s latest energy plan fails to recognize and remedy this and portends a bleak, costly energy future, not to mention more pollution and higher health care costs.
—Anshul Gupta, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for portend
Cite this Entry
“Portend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/portend. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
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portend
verb
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