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
Perhaps as a portent, the sun poked through the clouds for her race.
—
Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Nov. 2025
Black cats can be portents of bad luck.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Nov. 2025
Keane, though, sees nothing but disaster ahead, a portent presaged by some of the film’s most enduring images, like a stretch limo with a flat tire and a steam room littered with empty champagne bottles.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
As portents go, after a testing summer for Newcastle, this did not look altogether positive.
—The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for portent
Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Nov. 2025
Black cats can be portents of bad luck.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Nov. 2025
Keane, though, sees nothing but disaster ahead, a portent presaged by some of the film’s most enduring images, like a stretch limo with a flat tire and a steam room littered with empty champagne bottles.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
As portents go, after a testing summer for Newcastle, this did not look altogether positive.
—The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for portent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portent
Noun
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And these projects may just be the forerunners.—
Andy Sheehan,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
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Sheila Bridges also comes to mind as such a forerunner for our community, embracing the beauty of our heritage and culture.—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The team’s miracle run was now complete.—
Patrick Snell,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
-
With the population of millionaires and billionaires aging, and an explosion in companies and products promising miracle cures, the wealthy are driving much of the spending.—
Robert Frank,
CNBC,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The omens of Sandro Tonali scoring twice in the same game of a knockout competition for Newcastle United are certainly encouraging.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
15 Feb. 2026
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An omen of good things to come.—
Bill Reinhard,
New York Daily News,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The crew might also spy distinct flashes of light as space rocks strike the moon — or dust floating above the edge of the moon, a mysterious phenomenon scientists have yet to understand fully.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
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This phenomenon was on display Friday, as the Court’s three remaining liberals joined with Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Built from abundant molecular precursors, these polymer systems offer intrinsic structural flexibility alongside tunable electrochemical properties.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
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The move is often regarded as a precursor to actively intervening in currency markets.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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But this year’s visit felt like divine intervention—a dose of natural awe and wonder sent from above to make it through fraught times.—
Stephanie Pearson,
Outside,
19 Feb. 2026
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Though his injuries were severe, the sailors watched in wonder as the cat determinedly licked his wounds, then got back to work destroying the rats threatening the ship’s food stores.—
Anne Ewbank,
Popular Science,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The drive from Manhattan to Skaneateles was the perfect foreshadowing for the property.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 Feb. 2026
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In a possible foreshadowing of the teenage years to come, Timberlake and his boys zoned out while playing video games.—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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What follows is remarkable, harrowing, and a marvel of documentary editing.—
Eric Farwell,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Feb. 2026
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At a pace of about 1,500 units per second, 300 million per day, and a lifetime production of up to a trillion sperm cells, spermatogenesis is a marvel of abundance.—
Annalisa Merelli,
STAT,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Portent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portent. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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