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
For West, who is a storm chaser, snow in the South would be a rare and sacred gift, one that the weekend storm was portending to produce throughout the region.
—
Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2026
Rams general manager Les Snead sent two first-round picks, two second-round picks and two third-round picks to the Tennessee Titans, portending a swing-for-the-fences mentality in trades that would lead to the Rams going seven years without making another first-round pick.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2026
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
Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2026
Rams general manager Les Snead sent two first-round picks, two second-round picks and two third-round picks to the Tennessee Titans, portending a swing-for-the-fences mentality in trades that would lead to the Rams going seven years without making another first-round pick.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portending
Verb
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Most analysts are predicting Miami to repeat, assuming Messi stays healthy, but the azul and chrome are legitimate contenders.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Feb. 2026
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Warners is predicting Wuthering Heights will top GOAT at the global box office again to finish Sunday with a worldwide total in the $150 million range.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The progressive party Move Forward had won that year’s election by promising those reforms.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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Peel-and-Stick Finishes Peel-and-stick upgrades are everywhere online, promising dramatic results without long-term commitment.—
Angelika Pokovba,
Martha Stewart,
15 Feb. 2026
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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The Illinois Democrat made further headlines when calling for an immediate hike in the federal minimum wage to $25 per hour.—
Claire Malon,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Feb. 2026
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And Pete Hegseth’s advice on sending in federal forces can be inferred by his support of a pastor calling for denying women the vote.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Nile is skeletal like Jared Kushner; his thinness is foreboding, marking a disavowal of all that is sensual.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
6 Dec. 2025
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The windowless hallways are narrow in the federal building that houses this immigration court, and the agents’ stocky bodies are foreboding in the tight corridors.—
Catherine E. Shoichet,
CNN Money,
1 Dec. 2025
Verb
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While traders are trying to cash in on the rally, geopolitical uncertainty persists, boding well for gold prices.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
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Varas and sporting director Tyler Heaps did fabulous work, boding well for a stellar second season.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Million-Follower Detective (February 12) This eight-episode Taiwanese crime thriller follows a mysterious woman who rises to fame and becomes a powerful influencer after accurately foretelling the murders of several social-media influencers.—
Dana Feldman,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
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Apparently, the little man was an oracle, foretelling deaths with certainty.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Millar, however, noted that a gauge of wholesale costs rose at the fastest pace in more than three years, auguring a further rise in consumer prices.—
Paul Davidson,
USA Today,
22 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Portending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portending. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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