Thesaurus results for HARBINGERS

harbingers 1 of 2

noun

plural of harbinger

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

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harbingers

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of harbinger

as in heralds

to give a slight indication of beforehand the hope that the housing slump does not harbinger a general economic recession

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of harbingers

Noun

Culture and History Crows and ravens have similarly eerie reputations as spooky harbingers of death or danger. — Blythe Copeland, Martha Stewart, 31 Aug. 2026 Our results, just published in the journal Science, suggest that the 1982-83 and 1997-98 El Niños – two of the strongest in recent memory – may be harbingers of more extreme events to come as the planet warms. — Julia Cole, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026 Then, after a series of eerie harbingers, the Platts discover the power and water in the house have shut off in the aftermath of an intense storm, and the atmosphere outside has turned unsettling and oddly tropical. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2026 The world looked to the social elite as the ultimate harbingers of style trends and sophistication, giving them a cultural cache and, in turn, a sense of power. — Moises Mendez Ii, InStyle, 29 June 2026 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 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for harbingers

Noun

Margaret and Alice are the forerunners of Lucy and Ethel, and Shakespeare’s comedy, written expressly to entertain, gives us a sense of what an Elizabethan-era situation comedy might look like.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
One of the forerunners today in Madeira and the Azores is António Maçanita from Azores Wine Company.

— Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

Definition of forerunners

Verb

And your neighbor’s rooster that heralds the dawn every single morning is actually a living talisman of protection.

— Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026
Maybe Druckenmiller owning his AI use and receiving the Journal’s blessing heralds a new era of guilt-free mechanized writing.

— Will Oremus, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of heralds

Noun

This event, which resulted in the death of enslaver Edward Gorsuch, heightened tensions between the North and South and was one of the many precursors to the American Civil War.

— Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 11 Sep. 2026
Two other groups received Lasker Awards, which are often precursors for Nobel Prizes.

— O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of precursors

Verb

While purple has come to represent Swift’s Speak Now era, during that London outing, Swift wore a lilac purple dress with flowers, which fans are convinced foreshadows the primary color and aesthetics of the singer’s 13th LP.

— Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 30 Aug. 2026
Back in King’s Landing, Rhaenyra comes to find that her prisoner Helaena has taken her own life but left a parting gift for the queen that foreshadows a potential prophecy of Rhaenyra’s path towards madness.

— Justin Kroll, Deadline, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of foreshadows

Noun

Along Fullerton Avenue in Belmont Cragin, multilingual signs hanging in storefront windows reflect the diversity of a community with roots stretching across Latin America.

— Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Advanced signs include anxiety, confusion, agitation, hallucinations, extreme thirst paired with panic at the sight of fluids, heavy saliva and aggressive thrashing or biting.

— The Sacramento Bee staff, Sacbee.com, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of signs

Verb

The model then predicts how much those variants affect molecular function.

— Peter Hall, Scientific American, 8 Sep. 2026
The latest forecast predicts the center will pass roughly 115 to 150 miles west of Kauai, close enough that any additional eastward shifts in the track could bring stronger winds and greater impacts, particularly to Kauai, the hurricane center said.

— Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of predicts

Noun

The viral disease causes a blotchy rash and flulike symptoms but can develop into severe, life-threatening illnesses, such as pneumonia and brain swelling.

— Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 18 Sep. 2026
Instead, medical guidelines typically recommend testosterone for men who report symptoms — including low libido and depressed mood — and have two blood tests confirming low levels of the hormone.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of symptoms

Verb

Yet swings in the S&P 500 have been below one percent for the past five days, despite the VIX holding above 16, which implies a daily move of one percent.

— Oliver Renick, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2026
After last year’s first week of games, the eventual winner, Matthew Stafford, was at +3500 odds, which implies a less than 3 percent chance of winning.

— Hannah Vanbiber, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of implies

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“Harbingers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harbingers. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of harbingers

noun

verb

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