1
as in feel
a feeling that something bad will happen
I had a nagging presage that the results of my medical tests would not be good
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in forerunner
something believed to be a sign or warning of a future event
the sight of the first robin is always a welcome presage of spring
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to predict
to tell of or describe beforehand
people used to believe that a comet presaged a major event, such as the death of a king
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of presage
Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 25 Mar. 2025
The New Moon in Virgo, which occurs shortly after Mercury turns direct, presages really big beginnings throughout the zodiac.
—Jennifer Culp, Them, 16 Aug. 2024
Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Mar. 2026
Polls show voters favor Democrats by a wide margin and Trump’s approval is hovering around 40%, an abysmal level that usually presages major losses for the sitting president’s party.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for presage
Noun
There’s a kind of implicit prayer in this that the withering of today’s Hollywood system is a presage for something better, giving the entire production a painful, nostalgic quality that tugs at your chest even as what unfolds before you is remarkably dumb.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 25 Mar. 2025
The New Moon in Virgo, which occurs shortly after Mercury turns direct, presages really big beginnings throughout the zodiac.
—Jennifer Culp, Them, 16 Aug. 2024
Verb
Those events presaged the 2026 Iran war, in which Israel and the United States launched a large-scale operation against Iran’s military infrastructure and senior leadership.
—Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Mar. 2026
Polls show voters favor Democrats by a wide margin and Trump’s approval is hovering around 40%, an abysmal level that usually presages major losses for the sitting president’s party.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for presage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for presage
Noun
-
The footbed molds to your foot over time for a more personalized feel, and unlike most slides, the adjustable straps allow for a customized fit.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Apr. 2026
-
This one-of-a-kind Feather Brooch, for example, is built on titanium in varying hues for a gossamer feel.—
Paige Reddinger,
Robb Report,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Williams had managed traditional Tex-Mex restaurants that were the forerunner of today’s Mercado Juarez Cafes.—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The camp is a program of the Woodcraft Rangers, founded by author and naturalist Ernest Thompson Seton, whose pioneering Woodcraft Rangers program was a forerunner to groups such as the Boy Scouts.—
Jessie Dax-Setkus,
Oc Register,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
These tools help predict how a candidate will handle challenges, collaborate, and fit into your team.—
Karla Vallecillo,
Hartford Courant,
11 Apr. 2026
-
At these critical points, theory predicts that entanglement may spike dramatically, but models often fail to describe what actually happens.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
New research shows Hinton’s premonitions about the insubordinate streak of AI may already be a reality.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Their map of Earth might carry a strange beauty, like the 1524 map of Tenochtitlan, and perhaps a dark premonition.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Somewhere in there was portent.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Mar. 2026
-
This was only a portent of things to come — the protests were dwarfed by massive protests and riots against the regime in September 2022-2023, then the largest protests in December 2025 to January 2026.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Her work plainly belongs to this lineage of witchy writers, women whose deliciously corrupted scenes of home and hearth produce fear and wild laughter at once.—
Kristen Roupenian,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
This new strategy recognized that neighborhood fear is not just driven by crimes; it is also driven by neighborhood disorder.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Eventually, a banner signifying the first NCAA women’s basketball title will be raised to the ceiling in Pauley Pavilion, where currently the only women’s basketball title banner is from the school’s 1978 AIAW championship, the precursor to the NCAA.—
Beth Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
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Iran also spied on Iraqi positions with rudimentary precursors to drones, an early use of one of the regime’s most effective weapons in its attempt to blockade the strait.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
At a recent seven-hour legislative meeting, Nevadans complained to lawmakers about the noise data centers produce, and their worries about how the centers will affect water supply and energy bills.—
Jessica Hill,
Fortune,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Memories of the pandemic and worries about crime were still fresh, and the 120,000-square-foot building was vacant.—
Brian J. Rogal,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Presage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/presage. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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