premonition

noun

pre·​mo·​ni·​tion ˌprē-mə-ˈni-shən  ˌpre- 

1

: previous notice or warning : forewarning

2

: anticipation of an event without conscious reason : presentiment

Synonyms of premonition

• feel
• presentiment
• fear
• foreboding
• suspicion
• worry
• presage

Examples of premonition in a Sentence

She had a premonition that he would call.

she had a premonition that her cat would somehow get hurt that day

Recent Examples on the Web

In these transitional months, everyone has their own premonitions about what trends will dominate the season ahead, but what will actually happen is pretty much anyone’s guess. — Joan Kennedy, Vogue, 8 Sep. 2026

Portland’s women’s sporting epicenter Lisa believes her family’s years in the fashion industry gave her and her brother a premonition about the rise of women’s sports years before the NWSL and WNBA would take off in earnest. — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2026

In this high silk topper The Big Bambino was on top of the world with no premonition that a serious throat ailment would lead to his death in a few short years. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 17 Aug. 2026

But Naipaul reminds us about how ubiquitous premonitions of catastrophe and doom were in the 1970s. — James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English premunition, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin premunition-, premunitio, alteration of Late Latin praemonitio, from Latin praemonēre to warn in advance, from prae- + monēre to warn — more at mind

First Known Use

1533, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for premonition

• abolition
• acquisition
• admonition
• ammunition
• apparition
• apposition
• coalition
• competition
• composition
• definition
• deglutition
• demolition

Kids Definition

premonition

noun

pre·​mo·​ni·​tion ˌprē-mə-ˈnish-ən  ˌprem-ə- 

: a feeling that something is going to happen

a premonition of disaster

premonitory

pri-ˈmän-ə-ˌtōr-ē, 

-ˌtȯr-

adjective