as in to predict
formal + literary
to be a sign or warning that something usually bad or unpleasant is going to happen
The distant thunder portended a storm. If you're superstitious, a black cat portends trouble.
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Recent Examples of portend
The season ends on a cliffhanger, a choice that’s both frustrating but at least portends a seemingly inevitable second installment that can elaborate on what’s initially left bare bones.
—
Alison Herman, Variety, 30 Sep. 2025
His past failures won’t necessarily portend future ones, particularly given his work this past year.
—Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Such questions don't necessarily portend the outcome of the case and may merely reflect justices testing the limits and weaknesses of arguments.
—Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 27 Sep. 2025
Google believes Gemini's ability to perform well in these kinds of advanced academic competitions portends AI's future in industries like semiconductor engineering and biotechnology.
—Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for portend
Alison Herman, Variety, 30 Sep. 2025
His past failures won’t necessarily portend future ones, particularly given his work this past year.
—Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Such questions don't necessarily portend the outcome of the case and may merely reflect justices testing the limits and weaknesses of arguments.
—Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 27 Sep. 2025
Google believes Gemini's ability to perform well in these kinds of advanced academic competitions portends AI's future in industries like semiconductor engineering and biotechnology.
—Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for portend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portend
Verb
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Lucas predicted after the season-opening win over Jacksonville that Reneau would emerge as the team’s leading scorer this season.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
11 Nov. 2025
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City officials have struggled to predict water availability in the recent past, especially as the ongoing drought on the Colorado River has continued delivering terrible water years.—
Austin Corona,
AZCentral.com,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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And the space promised live DJ sets, which meant less of a tranquil high tea vibe and more of a high-energy night out.—
Evan Moore
November 11,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Nov. 2025
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In response, California Democrats promised to make affordability a key issue during the legislative session.—
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
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This could bode well for the success of Kohl’s recent efforts to refresh its long languishing store brands.—
Phil Wahba,
Fortune,
7 Nov. 2025
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This obviously bodes incredibly well for the future of the Jets.—
Reice Shipley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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One of Redford’s last screen roles, which presaged his retirement from acting in 2018, was as the career criminal Forrest Tucker in David Lowery’s The Old Man & the Gun.—
K. Austin Collins,
The Atlantic,
16 Sep. 2025
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Local officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony this morning at Philadelphia’s Calder Gardens, the new sanctuary honoring pathbreaking sculptor Alexander Calder, presaging its opening to the public, which is set for September 21.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Jackson had contacted him about a BBC drama series called Vigil.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
7 Nov. 2025
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Anyone with information is asked to call 311 and reference activity number A25-554251.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The minute that happened, Farm Bank’s collapse was foretold.—
Moisés Naím,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
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Those are the conclusions of two recent reports about spiraling utility bills, one looking at the past, the other foretelling the future.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Despite the seemingly sweet resolution to their storyline (and an ostensibly upbeat last line of dialogue), there’s a strange undercurrent to the Nagisa and Natsuo segment that suggests foreboding as much as potential happiness — a mysterious tension befitting the creator that Miyake is adapting.—
Josh Slater-Williams,
IndieWire,
17 Aug. 2025
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With the third season of The White Lotus well underway—and its signature sense of foreboding steadily mounting—cast member Michelle Monaghan was in anything but ominous spirits last night at The Mark Hotel.—
Laura Neilson,
Vogue,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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That may sound like a funny thing to say, in 2025, or in any year since the legendary rock singer-songwriter died in 2003, given a perennial underdog status that never augured for anything that would be likely to be called a posthumous groundswell, per se.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
24 Oct. 2025
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Vegas has struggled on offense but rookie RB Ashton Jeanty’s breakout game last week augurs well.—
Greg Cote
October 2,
Miami Herald,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Portend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portend. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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