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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Other auspicious portents are appearing, Worden says, that signal initial Mars colonies could begin spreading out, beneath crystalline hemispheric domes, across the 2030s.
—
Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Advertisement Mamdani’s performance as mayor would be scrutinized for portents of the Democrats’ future.
—Mark Chiusano, Time, 14 Aug. 2025
This would turn out to be a portent of what was to come.
—Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2025
Her appearance at the funeral had only been a portent of her tragic death.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for portent
Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Advertisement Mamdani’s performance as mayor would be scrutinized for portents of the Democrats’ future.
—Mark Chiusano, Time, 14 Aug. 2025
This would turn out to be a portent of what was to come.
—Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2025
Her appearance at the funeral had only been a portent of her tragic death.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for portent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portent
Noun
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Half of those tested had osteoporosis or a forerunner condition, osteopenia.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Oct. 2025
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Compared to their forerunners in the tsarist era, with their party congresses held abroad, their executive committees, and their active recruitment in imperial Russia’s universities, Soviet dissidents remained a comparatively small and informal conglomeration of activists.—
Benjamin Nathans
September 24,
Literary Hub,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Barring an injury-recovery miracle, Dalton is going to start this game as Young rests his problematic ankle.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Oct. 2025
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There was no better summation of the fourth-quarter miracle that unfolded on Sunday, by mirror image, than the Broncos’ game-winning drive in the fourth quarter.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The Heat hopes this winless preseason isn’t a bad omen for what’s ahead this time around.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
18 Oct. 2025
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Aranda’s spectacular 2021 season appears not an omen for Baylor football but rather one of those magical one-off years.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Naturally, there are multiple causes for this phenomenon.—
Julio Cesar Valdera Morales,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Oct. 2025
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That is, needless to say, a bold claim about a phenomenon that is famously hard to predict.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The beans are typically piled in wooden boxes or baskets, in which bacteria and fungi break down the beans’ pulpy coating, producing chemicals that generate flavor precursors within the beans.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
18 Oct. 2025
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At the same time, Ohtani’s preparing for a chance to clinch the team’s second consecutive NL pennant, the precursor of repeating as World Series champions.—
Barry M. Bloom,
Sportico.com,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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This wonder is the showpiece of the Virginia State Park that includes an hour-long hike through forests and the James River Valley.—
Heather Bien,
Southern Living,
19 Oct. 2025
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Courtesy of Cepee Tabibian Walking everywhere has done wonders for my stress levels.—
Cepee Tabibian,
CNBC,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Handed an eight-run lead in the eighth inning, the Dodgers’ bullpen struggled to get the final six outs – a performance the Dodgers can only hope is not a foreshadowing of postseason problems to come.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
1 Oct. 2025
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An Easter egg to me is more of a wink to the fans or narrative foreshadowing in some kind of way.—
Emily Longeretta,
Variety,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Founded in 1962, the museum highlights 200 years of canal history through interactive exhibits, original artifacts, and engaging programs that explore how this engineering marvel shaped New York’s communities and culture, past and present.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Oct. 2025
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Kiss was especially popular in the mid-1970s, selling tens of millions of albums and licensing its iconic look to become a marketing marvel.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Portent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portent. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
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