1
as in presentiments
a feeling that something bad will happen
I have this strange foreboding that your ski vacation will not turn out well, so be extra careful
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in portents
something believed to be a sign or warning of a future event
used to think that if he saw a blackbird fly over his left shoulder it was a foreboding of harm
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forebodings
Noun
-
By the end of 1857, no one knew the crack-up of the Union was coming in three years, or that the nation would be in a civil war in four, but the portents were bleak.—
Jake Lundberg,
The Atlantic,
12 Feb. 2026 -
Carol’s favorite, Bella Donna, does not carry the same dark portents.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
12 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
If agents learn, predictions must remain legible in a coding language humans can oversee.—
Victoria Bousis,
Rolling Stone,
9 Mar. 2026
-
The Tesla's slightly higher predictions were consistent throughout the test.—
Adam L. Neal,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The data in the new study validates these premonitions.—
Alex Hutchinson,
Outside,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Most strikingly, some are from the near future, and have an uncanny resemblance to premonitions.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The number 13 has long been associated with negative omens.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
13 Mar. 2026
-
But many Floridians — particularly those who have moved here since 1998 and have no prior experience with wildfires on a massive scale — don’t see these signs and don’t comprehend the omens.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
With the glut of talent on the backend, turning a risky defenseman into a young impact forward while his value is still at a high feels like an avenue worth exploring.—
Dom Luszczyszyn,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Miraflores, meanwhile, is also chock-a-block with great shopping and restaurants, though the rush-hour honking gets louder, and various corners have distinctly different feels, from the very commercial to the quaint and old-school.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The seizure comes a month before Hungary’s election, and the investigation mandate includes whether the money benefited opposition politicians, fueling suspicions of political motivation.—
Justin Spike,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Panamanian authorities raided the PPC’s offices in late February, removing over 100 boxes of records among suspicions that the company hid information about its management of the Balboa and Cristóbal terminals.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
There are some hints that along with the switch to colder weather, there could be some light snow.—
Cutter Martin,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Stout is a full-bodied ale that lends toasty depth and hints of malt and hops to the broth.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This weekend is make or break for the Oscars race, as tonight’s SAG Awards Actor Awards are also quite key for prognostications.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Nearly 40 years ago, economist and Nobel laureate Robert Solow observed little productivity gains in the PC age, despite prognostications of a productivity surge, and Slok sees a similar pattern today.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
19 Feb. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Forebodings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forebodings. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
