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

Whether Montgomery had a premonition or not, the Blues suddenly found themselves in a shootout on Friday. —Jeremy Rutherford, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2026

Most strikingly, some are from the near future, and have an uncanny resemblance to premonitions. —Richard Brody, New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2026

Jiménez had recently opened up about his premonition of dying in a plane crash. —Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 11 Jan. 2026

The youngest chewing-gum seller would adopt the conspiratorial tones of a seasoned Kremlinologist, seeing signs and premonitions in every event. —Literary Hub, 8 Jan. 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