Thesaurus results for PORTENT

portent

noun

ˈpȯr-ˌtent

Definition of portent

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 portent That Mann and his daughter, at a posh Frankfurt hotel party, glimpse so many remnants of the Nazi era — including Erika’s ex-husband, who collaborated with the regime — is another portent of darkness. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 14 May 2026 Hurley says there are already portents of future protests against SpaceX’s plan, sparked by its lofting just 10,000 Starlink satellites so far into low Earth orbit. — Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026 The company’s example was seen by many as a portent of the AI future. — Geoff Colvin, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2026 Rather than receiving traditional care, however, Hylton was unwittingly plunged into a cold experiment in using remote work to offset hospital staffing shortages, which could be a grim portent in an age of AI automation. — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for portent

Recent Examples of Synonyms for portent

Noun

Margaret and Alice are the forerunners of Lucy and Ethel, and Shakespeare’s comedy, written expressly to entertain, gives us a sense of what an Elizabethan-era situation comedy might look like.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
One of the forerunners today in Madeira and the Azores is António Maçanita from Azores Wine Company.

— Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

Definition of forerunner

Noun

Meanwhile, industrial and real estate investment plunged in the first half of the year, a bad omen for the world’s second-biggest economy.

— Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 15 July 2026
Diarists and observers, including hymn writer John Newton and militia officers, often treated the event as an omen reflecting the gravity of the Revolution.

— Joe Rao, Space.com, 4 July 2026

Definition of omen

Noun

But while national leaders and diplomats work to free up crucial waterways through which much of the world’s trade passes, another transport phenomenon is tentatively underway.

— Firmesk Rahim, The Conversation, 5 Aug. 2026
Unsurprisingly, the season has been a phenomenon on social media.

— Selome Hailu, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of phenomenon

Noun

That facility is described as a precursor to the larger Terafab project.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2026
Exhibits will include original equipment, Cold War archives, veterans’ oral histories, and a rare early ARPANET system—a precursor to today’s internet.

— George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of precursor

Noun

What drags the installment down, however, is the sheer predictability and lack of dissent, with seven out of the nine votes being unanimous — a foreshadowing of seasons to come.

— Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 4 June 2026
The late-May timing of the FISU announcement could serve as consequential foreshadowing of the International Skating Union’s (ISU) annual congress.

— Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026

Definition of foreshadowing

Noun

Tucked away in Clegern Place—a historical neighborhood in Edmond, Oklahoma—this 1950s mid-century marvel has been revamped to accommodate families.

— Kelsey Mulvey, Vogue, 3 Aug. 2026
One of London's most famous landmarks is an engineering marvel that was once the tallest skyscraper in Britain.

— David Szondy August 01, New Atlas, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of marvel

Browse Nearby Words

portends

portent

portentous

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Style

“Portent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portent. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of portent

noun

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