as in forerunners
one that announces or indicates the later arrival of another
her father's successful job interview was seen as a harbinger of better times to come
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in heralds
to give a slight indication of beforehand
the hope that the housing slump does not harbinger a general economic recession
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of harbingers
Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
In recent years, there have also been reports of vandalism and attacks on robotaxis and delivery robots, which some see as harbingers of a high-tech future not everyone asked for.
—Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2026
If nothing else, Kidman should rally the rest of her Big Little Lies castmates as a roving band of blonde soothsayers and harbingers of eternal sleep.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
Along with asparagus, hearty leafy greens, peas, and ramps, garlic scapes are among the first harbingers of an entire season of garden fun ahead.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Apr. 2026
If popular wine auction results are truly harbingers of pendulum swings in the world of wine, then Cabernet Franc is having a moment.
—Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 29 Mar. 2026
At worst, communications can be harbingers of disaster or indifference if they’re not done effectively.
—Pam Abrahamsson, Forbes.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Shards of glass cut into my palms and shins, while the wind hurled sharp granules of ice into my face, harbingers of a storm that was already approaching from the west.
—New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Eclipses are harbingers of change, often bringing intense shifts in perspective and catapulting us into new realities.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
Noun
If canaries in coal mines were harbingers of safe conditions, surely piping plovers at Waukegan Beach mean the city is overcoming its polluted past.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
In recent years, there have also been reports of vandalism and attacks on robotaxis and delivery robots, which some see as harbingers of a high-tech future not everyone asked for.
—Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2026
If nothing else, Kidman should rally the rest of her Big Little Lies castmates as a roving band of blonde soothsayers and harbingers of eternal sleep.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
Along with asparagus, hearty leafy greens, peas, and ramps, garlic scapes are among the first harbingers of an entire season of garden fun ahead.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Apr. 2026
If popular wine auction results are truly harbingers of pendulum swings in the world of wine, then Cabernet Franc is having a moment.
—Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 29 Mar. 2026
At worst, communications can be harbingers of disaster or indifference if they’re not done effectively.
—Pam Abrahamsson, Forbes.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Shards of glass cut into my palms and shins, while the wind hurled sharp granules of ice into my face, harbingers of a storm that was already approaching from the west.
—New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Eclipses are harbingers of change, often bringing intense shifts in perspective and catapulting us into new realities.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harbingers
Noun
-
Even the Hammurabi Code, a set of laws created by the sixth Babylonian king in approximately 1760 bce, established forerunners of today’s interest rate and minimum wage laws.—
Chris Roush,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The Norwegian ended his season before the Olympics to further recover from a shoulder injury, but attended the finals as one of the forerunners, who test a course shortly before a race starts.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Hekt’s debut album heralds a union between the left-field pop scene of his native Copenhagen and the influential Glasgow label Numbers, whose formidable run of 2010s releases—including several landmark SOPHIE singles—has left a neon imprint on the new Danish vanguard.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
1 May 2026
-
Baisakhi heralds the beginning of the harvest season in Punjab, and farmers come together to celebrate the abundance provided by nature.—
Tamanna Nangia,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
And then, thanks to the precursors to the storm that ultimately ended the first round early — the wind, above all else — the weather made the last few shots on the course brutal.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
8 May 2026
-
Particularly, single-source precursors — essentially all-in-one starter molecules — were used to observe the material’s transformation step by step.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
With almost three years left in his final term, Trump’s absence from CPAC foreshadows his eventual departure as leader of the GOP and the conservative movement, a role typically served by the president or the party’s leading contender for the White House.—
Gromer Jeffers Jr.
Political,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The book wonderfully foreshadows one of its best moments, but the film doesn’t do this at all, setting up the action with a few lines of dialog instead.—
Matthew Razak,
Space.com,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But there are clear signs that Miller has not backed away from his own views on immigration—including on H-2B visas.—
Michael Scherer,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2026
-
And that’s evident in so many facets in museums on Route 66, in neon signs and galleries, on menus that have been there, operating for decades and decades.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Immediately, Stagg clashes with Krick over forecasting methodology – Krick predicts clear skies for an ideal invasion morning, but Stagg differs strongly.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
-
The report also predicts even more enrollment decline in the years to come.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Schizoaffective disorder is a mental health condition that is marked by a mix of schizophrenia symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions, and mood disorder symptoms, such as depression, mania and a milder form of mania called hypomania, per the Mayo Clinic.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
9 May 2026
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Meanwhile, a Spanish woman who was tested for hantavirus after taking the same flight as a patient who died from the disease and displaying symptoms consistent with an infection has tested negative, Spain's health ministry said May 9.—
Sara Moniuszko,
USA Today,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Its $34 price target implies 39% upside from Monday's close.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
-
Several characters are killed off throughout the new movie, some minor and a few shockingly major, although the ending implies not all of the deaths will be permanent.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harbingers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harbingers. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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