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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Example Sentences
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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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However, despite this, Nolan shared his predictions for the film with Safdie.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Oct. 2025
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Taking a look at spring 2026 predictions made 18 months ago, in comparison to what was shown during the recent New York Fashion Week shows.—
Footwear News,
Footwear News,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Cherry is mild with hints of contrasting sweet and tart flavors.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
16 Oct. 2025
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Our seven-part guide has helpful hints to achieve better sleep.—
Faye Chiu,
CNN Money,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Smart Schedule learns your preferred temperatures, responds to your preferences over time, and can provide suggestions—rather than automatic updates—based on your usage patterns.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Oct. 2025
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The crew identified more than 10 training issues and developed over 20 improvement suggestions while operating in the new area.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Omens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/omens. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
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