as in predicting
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 portending
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
Denver Nicks, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portending
Verb
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With Turpin back, all three (Jalen Tolbert included) will be like predicting the Packers receivers when all are healthy.—
Jake Ciely,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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High geopolitical volatility makes predicting the market’s future even more difficult than usual, a Reuters columnist argued.—
Matthew Martin,
semafor.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The reactionary league is constantly futzing after other versions of the sport implement fun rules, or promising to address unfairness when sensational NFL playoff battles have ended without a quarterback deity such as Peyton Manning or Josh Allen touching the ball.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
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Despite that, the president keeps promising to roll out new ones.—
October 1,
NPR,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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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Barbara Corcoran Corcoran isn’t the only businessperson calling for people to be strategic about AI.—
Ashton Jackson,
CNBC,
3 Oct. 2025
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The platform’s private servers let activists organize out of the public eye, often under pseudonyms, and use text and calling features.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 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
Verb
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Now, the woman seems to be replete with suggestions, boding well for yet another January birthday to keep the holiday spirit going.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
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This astronomical use of explosives will require an increasing amount of TNT as the war continues, boding poorly for the global supply chain for the foreseeable future.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Every day there are LinkedIn posts, as well as Forbes, NYT, and WSJ articles about the massive capital reallocation by customers and investors to AI from SaaS, foretelling the end of SaaS.—
Barry Libert,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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An optimist would read the internal market action in recent weeks as foretelling an early-cycle reacceleration/reflation dynamic setting up.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The agency also issued a letter alerting physicians nationwide.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
26 Sep. 2025
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Word of Starbucks cafe closures is rippling across Southern California, with social media posts and letters in café doorways alerting customers that their coffee stop is soon to be no more.—
Samantha Gowen,
Oc Register,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Portending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portending. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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