portends

verb

present tense third-person singular of portend
as in predicts
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of portends The disruption of exports of petroleum, fertilizer, and helium has contributed to inflation, portends crop shortfalls, and even threatens computer chip shortages in countries around the world. — S. C. M. Paine, Foreign Affairs, 3 Nov. 2026 Plain old water could be responsible for making plastics harmful to people, according to a new study that portends significant consequences for human health. — Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026 Hao feels that the WWE partnership represents a milestone for ReelShort, and portends well for the future of working with other major brands. — Joe Otterson, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026 The Paris presentation portends bigger plans — including a 1,500-square-foot space at legacy department store Printemps, set to open at the end of this month. — Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026 The emergence of Tolle behind them, though, is what portends best for Boston moving forward. — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026 The Dallas Cowboys’ lack of faith in starting right tackle Terence Steele portends a potentially big game Sunday night for Giants top pass rusher Brian Burns. — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026 The AfD’s victory in weekend German state elections portends huge change for the country, the continent, and the West more broadly. — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2026 But 160 Leroy portends a future that stretches the definition of what constitutes New York living into hitherto-unknown territory. — Bridget Read, Curbed, 1 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portends
  1. predicts
  2. promises
  3. bodes
  4. presages
  5. calls
  6. foretells
  7. augurs
  8. reads
Verb
  • But the outlook predicts no subsidies in subsequent years, indicating the city expects to complete a new analysis of its trash costs and then increase fees accordingly.
    — David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026
  • And the real estate firm predicts that number won’t budge by 2030.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of predicts
Verb
  • Their union promises to challenge society’s conventions further in season 4, fitting for a character who has never been afraid to ruffle feathers.
    — Paul Chi, Vogue, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Rama helps Sugriva regain the throne, and Sugriva promises to mobilize the vanara army to help find Sita.
    — Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of promises
Verb
  • That bodes extremely well for plane spotting out in broad daylight this summer.
    — Florence Ion, PC Magazine, 27 June 2026
  • The Obama Presidential Center opening June 18 also bodes well for tourism, both in burnishing the city’s image and creating a new attraction to draw domestic and international visitors to Chicago, Reynolds said.
    — Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2026
Definition of bodes
Verb
  • Charlie Kirk's family blamed Utah officials for failing to prevent the conservative activist's assassination at a state university, in a wrongful death notice announced Wednesday that presages a possible lawsuit.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The backlash to the Barbara decision presages another legal and cultural battle over the meaning of the 14th Amendment and its role in the debate over who is recognized as an American citizen, observers say.
    — Scott Baldauf, Christian Science Monitor, 22 July 2026
Definition of presages
Verb
  • The Sacramento Bee’s calls to the hotels went unanswered, and calls to the media representatives listed on Hilton’s website were unsuccessful.
    — Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2026
  • This year’s number one restaurant and also the Best Restaurant in Europe is Asador Etxebarri, which calls Atxondo, a village of less than 1,500 inhabitants in Spain’s Basque Country, home.
    — Nathan Tavares, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of calls
Verb
  • At Saul's request, the witch summons what appears to be the spirit of the deceased prophet Samuel, who foretells Saul's death in battle — raising the question of theodicy, or why an all-powerful God would allow an apparently diabolical act to occur.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026
  • Annabeth has grown to care for Percy, but like Thalia, his fate is possibly tied to a prophecy that foretells of him destroying or saving Olympus.
    — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of foretells
Verb
  • Although the post-pandemic decline of China was one of the main causes of Lauder’s slowdown in growth in 2023, today the broad demographic scope augurs continued growth.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Pintscher, who will succeed current music director Jaime Martín beginning in 2027-28 season, augurs a new era for LACO.
    — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of augurs
Verb
  • So the bill arrives before the value does, and the market reads layoffs instead.
    — Adam Dumey, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The public stance remains, as the statement Friday reads, that Hammond remains the site where due diligence is being finalized and is very much a possibility.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of reads

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portending
portends
portent
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Cite this Entry

“Portends.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portends. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

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