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
Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 29 Mar. 2026
These harbingers of doom turn out to be on to something, because shortly after, the couple are in an accident in which Jakob is killed.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 23 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
Few harbingers are more promising than the Swedish singer and producer Robyn.
—Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 26 Dec. 2025
Pressure is also building in pockets of the labor market that are typically harbingers of broader stress.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 9 Dec. 2025
The surfers, initially viewed by some as welcome curiosities and by others as nuisances, became harbingers of economic salvation through tourism, now the dominant industry, though still a relatively new one.
—David Amsden, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
Keep an eye on these state elections Could these statewide elections be harbingers of what's to come in the 2026 midterms?
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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
These harbingers of doom turn out to be on to something, because shortly after, the couple are in an accident in which Jakob is killed.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 23 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
Few harbingers are more promising than the Swedish singer and producer Robyn.
—Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 26 Dec. 2025
Pressure is also building in pockets of the labor market that are typically harbingers of broader stress.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 9 Dec. 2025
The surfers, initially viewed by some as welcome curiosities and by others as nuisances, became harbingers of economic salvation through tourism, now the dominant industry, though still a relatively new one.
—David Amsden, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
Keep an eye on these state elections Could these statewide elections be harbingers of what's to come in the 2026 midterms?
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harbingers
Noun
-
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
-
These were the forerunners of today’s robots.—
Munis Raza,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Charlie Weimers, a lawmaker from the right-wing Sweden Democrats and strong proponent of harsher migration policies, said Thursday’s vote heralds a new era in the EU.—
Sam McNeil,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Iran also spied on Iraqi positions with rudimentary precursors to drones, an early use of one of the regime’s most effective weapons in its attempt to blockade the strait.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2026
-
In March, state media reported that China arrested seven people in an operation targeting traffickers of fentanyl precursors, according to the Reuters news agency.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 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 oil prices fell overnight amid signs that peace talks could continue despite the blockade.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Under the law, as long as the baby is less than two months old and there are no signs of abuse, parents can anonymously drop them off at a hospital, fire station, or freestanding emergency room.—
Kelsy Mittauer,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The World Health Organization predicts one in four adults will have a stroke in their lifetime.—
Berly McCoy,
NPR,
15 Apr. 2026
-
In the worst case scenario, in which supply disruptions persist into next year, the IMF predicts global growth to fall to around 2%.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Forty percent of Americans have their daily lives interrupted by uncomfortable bowel symptoms, according to the American Gastroenterological Association.—
Andrea Muraskin,
NPR,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Baking soda and vinegar sprays handle odors and stains without harsh chemicals, which can actually worsen allergy symptoms for some people.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
And, as the title implies, Dunham delves deeper into her Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and endometriosis diagnoses, which involved multiple surgeries and daily pain management, as well as a stint in rehab, brought on by an addiction to the anxiety medication Klonopin.—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The new midpoint implies 7% year-over-year growth.—
Kevin Stankiewicz,
CNBC,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harbingers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harbingers. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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