1
as in forerunner
something believed to be a sign or warning of a future event
a red sky in the morning can be a portent of a coming storm
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2
as in miracle
something extraordinary or surprising
a scout was sent to have a look at this teenage pitcher who was supposed to be the latest portent of the baseball world
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of portent
Khrushchev wasn’t content, however, with these favorable portents.
—
John Lewis Gaddis, Foreign Affairs, 7 June 2024
And the portents were not just in Henderson’s and Nuzzo’s paper.
—David Zweig, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2025
Matthew stresses royalty, prefacing the birth with heavenly portents; afterward, Magi bear royal gifts to a future king.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2025
But the attacks could have been interpreted very differently: as a horrific case of blowback and a portent of resistance to U.S. hegemony.
—Stephen Wertheim, Foreign Affairs, 17 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for portent
John Lewis Gaddis, Foreign Affairs, 7 June 2024
And the portents were not just in Henderson’s and Nuzzo’s paper.
—David Zweig, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2025
Matthew stresses royalty, prefacing the birth with heavenly portents; afterward, Magi bear royal gifts to a future king.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2025
But the attacks could have been interpreted very differently: as a horrific case of blowback and a portent of resistance to U.S. hegemony.
—Stephen Wertheim, Foreign Affairs, 17 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for portent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portent
Noun
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This is, in part, explained by the institutional memory of the competition’s forerunner — the Intercontinental Cup — and the legendary battles of a bygone era.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
19 June 2025
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Another forerunner of today’s scene is Ansedonia, a hillside community of upscale homes near Capalbio that in the 1960s became popular with creative types from the Italian capital.—
Lee Marshall,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Apr. 2025
Noun
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On Jewish holidays, the Hallel prayer is recited in Shul as a psalm of praise and thanksgiving and collective expression of gratitude for GDs miracles.—
Rafael James,
Sun Sentinel,
24 June 2025
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Don’t just pray for a miracle, but be realistic and find the right plan.—
Kyle Thomas,
People.com,
22 June 2025
Noun
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The films are filled with little omens like this, both blatant and subtle — though usually blatant.—
Kellina Moore,
New York Times,
17 May 2025
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Such spectral doppelgängers stalk the living as grim omens of impending death.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
22 May 2025
Noun
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Measurements at the Large Hadron Collider have been stymied by one of the most central phenomena of the quantum world.—
Matt von Hippel,
ArsTechnica,
23 June 2025
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The reentry of space objects has been a vexing problem since the beginning of the space age, McKnight told Space.com, because there are at least three physical phenomena that all have large uncertainties.—
Leonard David,
Space.com,
23 June 2025
Noun
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Cravats were a precursor to the modern necktie, which emerged in the late 19th and early 20th century.—
Kristopher Fraser,
Robb Report,
20 June 2025
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Real Madrid were among the favorites to win the first-of-its-kind tournament, which is a precursor to next year’s FIFA World Cup.—
Sean Neumann,
People.com,
19 June 2025
Noun
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Paring payroll and procuring prospects took precedence, prompting wonder whether that run could be waning.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
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Is It Natural Hair Approved? Especially with the heavy styling products, high tension and high heat styles many of us curly girls love, a specialized treatment to address scalp concerns and build up could do wonders for your hair.—
Essence,
Essence,
27 June 2025
Noun
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John wonders if he and his foreshadowing are chopped liver.—
Stacia Brown,
Vulture,
26 June 2025
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Democrats assailed the budget as a devastating foreshadowing of Trump's vision for the country.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 May 2025
Noun
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The new see-through marvels of the Temporis Duo Grand Complication Openface add to Vacheron’s rich history of minute repeaters and complications, and like the Solaria, is a piece unique for one collector to savor.—
Thor Svaboe,
Robb Report,
25 June 2025
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An architectural marvel, the Link is the world’s longest cantilever, floating between two towers like a futuristic sky bridge.—
Natasha Amar,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Portent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portent. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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