portends; portended; portending
formal + literary
: to be a sign or warning that something usually bad or unpleasant is going to happen
The distant thunder portended a storm.
If you're superstitious, a black cat portends trouble.
Cite this Entry
“Portend.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/portend. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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