as in portents
something believed to be a sign or warning of a future event
some people still believe that a black cat crossing your path is a bad omen
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Recent Examples of omens
On the other hand, all these omens popping up so early in the season is an indication there are further twists to come.
—
Alison Herman, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026
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
The omens of Sandro Tonali scoring twice in the same game of a knockout competition for Newcastle United are certainly encouraging.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2026
Favourable Winds For The UK Index At the risk of speaking too soon, so far the omens are pretty good.
—John Stepek, Bloomberg, 14 Jan. 2026
In fact, some of you may have found a more spiritual connection to the universe, seeing omens, signs, and visions of what was, what is and what could be.
—Kyle Thomas, PEOPLE, 4 Jan. 2026
In ancient Rome, temples and sanctuaries needed clear sight lines for the taking of auspices — interpreting omens from the behavior of birds — and other rituals.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 7 Dec. 2025
The one reason why this centuries-old record of an eclipse exists is due to an ancient belief that celestial events carry omens that were related to events of the time.
—Julian Dossett, Space.com, 5 Dec. 2025
Alison Herman, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026
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
The omens of Sandro Tonali scoring twice in the same game of a knockout competition for Newcastle United are certainly encouraging.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2026
Favourable Winds For The UK Index At the risk of speaking too soon, so far the omens are pretty good.
—John Stepek, Bloomberg, 14 Jan. 2026
In fact, some of you may have found a more spiritual connection to the universe, seeing omens, signs, and visions of what was, what is and what could be.
—Kyle Thomas, PEOPLE, 4 Jan. 2026
In ancient Rome, temples and sanctuaries needed clear sight lines for the taking of auspices — interpreting omens from the behavior of birds — and other rituals.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 7 Dec. 2025
The one reason why this centuries-old record of an eclipse exists is due to an ancient belief that celestial events carry omens that were related to events of the time.
—Julian Dossett, Space.com, 5 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for omens
Noun
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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
-
Economic outlooks for both Oakland and the Bay Area as a whole had appeared bleak over the next year, even before the United States’ and Israel’s war with Iran made financial predictions more uncertain.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Over seven days, ARGOS reduced total water usage by 58% and was only about 4% off in its soil measuring predictions, Paul said.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Ives inserts hints of Ludwig van Beethoven’s 5th Symphony in the meditative work, and at other times seems to conjure up church bells through the piano.—
Sheila Regan,
Twin Cities,
14 Apr. 2026
-
More subtle hints are peppered throughout the story.—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The phantom page is usually a collection of additional content suggestions or a pop-up that tries to eke out a few more clicks from each visitor.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Most of them sound like throwaways from a brainstorming session, or worse… ChatGPT suggestions.—
Ile-Ife Okantah,
Vulture,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Omens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/omens. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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