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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of omens
For over two centuries, eerie sightings of the Dash have tied it to omens of death and supernatural lore.
—
Leanna Renee Hieber, Big Think, 2 Oct. 2025
The bad omens came early at this year’s Burning Man — the infamously wild, weeklong celebration of art, music, and unrestrained self-expression held at the end of every summer in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert — portending a particularly extra-ordinary burn.
—Denver Nicks, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2025
In the final novel of the series, The Last Battle, the destruction of trees and dryads in Lantern Waste, a place tied to the creation of Narnia itself, is one of many portentous omens signalling the end of the world.
—Ellen Walker, JSTOR Daily, 3 Sep. 2025
Leanna Renee Hieber, Big Think, 2 Oct. 2025
The bad omens came early at this year’s Burning Man — the infamously wild, weeklong celebration of art, music, and unrestrained self-expression held at the end of every summer in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert — portending a particularly extra-ordinary burn.
—Denver Nicks, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2025
In the final novel of the series, The Last Battle, the destruction of trees and dryads in Lantern Waste, a place tied to the creation of Narnia itself, is one of many portentous omens signalling the end of the world.
—Ellen Walker, JSTOR Daily, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for omens
Noun
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As portents go, after a testing summer for Newcastle, this did not look altogether positive.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
20 Aug. 2025
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Other auspicious portents are appearing, Worden says, that signal initial Mars colonies could begin spreading out, beneath crystalline hemispheric domes, across the 2030s.—
Kevin Holden Platt,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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But against all reasonable predictions for this confounding squad, the B’s are a team that has been able to score in bunches, especially when a little urgency is infused into their game.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
29 Oct. 2025
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Here's more on weather predictions for Thanksgiving Week 2025 in Michigan.—
James Powel,
Freep.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In the pool room — an oval-like space with a pool table set in the middle — Reuter’s work is a brick-like mural with hints of greenery peeking out along the top.—
Lennie Omalza,
Louisville Courier Journal,
30 Oct. 2025
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Yates has been dating Andrews since the summer of 2023, after months of Yates' dropping hints online.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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His suggestions included searching the market for help at safety, off the edge and in the offensive backfield.—
Max Dible,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
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Other suggestions include donating non-perishable items to community fridges or hotspots, such as free Little Libraries.—
Ronny Maye,
Essence,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Omens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/omens. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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