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presage 1 of 2

noun

ˈpre-sij How to pronounce presage (audio)
Definition of presagenext
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

presage

2 of 2

verb

ˈpre-sij How to pronounce presage (audio)
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

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 presage
Noun
The company is facing similar litigation in Nevada — and while the injunction is only temporary, and focuses on sports betting, the legal action presages the broader efforts by states to protect the lucrative revenue gambling brings in. — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 22 Jan. 2026 For Swain, the rise of directs presages nothing less than a revolution in the world’s financial markets. — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 1 Nov. 2025
Verb
Years of turmoil presaged the takeover. — Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 June 2026 Frazier’s performance presaged Jalen Brunson’s recent 45-point, Game 5 effort on 14-for-27 shooting, 4-for-7 beyond the three-point stripe, by almost six decades and prompted Bradley to wax eloquent after the Knicks’ latest stunning comeback. — Barry M. Bloom, Forbes.com, 15 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for presage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for presage
  1. feel
  2. forerunner
  3. predict
  4. premonition
  5. portent
  6. fear
  7. precursor
  8. worry
Noun
  • The cashmere blend also gives it that soft, elevated feel that makes even a basic travel outfit look a little more thoughtful.
    — Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 19 Sep. 2026
  • There is nothing quite like Oxford, Mississippi, from its Southern charm to the small-town feel that defines it.
    — Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of feel
Noun
  • Dubbed the ‘American Turtle’ for its appearance, the submarine made three attempts to blow up British ships without success, but is considered the forerunner of modern submarines.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 16 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of forerunner
Verb
  • His point is that although LLMs, no less than chess engines and other specialist systems, are trained on a specific task—namely, predicting the next word in a text passage—that task is special.
    — George Musser, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Rather than trying to predict where mortgage rates will go, compare the rates and monthly payments available to you now.
    — Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of predict
Noun
  • In these transitional months, everyone has their own premonitions about what trends will dominate the season ahead, but what will actually happen is pretty much anyone’s guess.
    — Joan Kennedy, Vogue, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Portland’s women’s sporting epicenter Lisa believes her family’s years in the fashion industry gave her and her brother a premonition about the rise of women’s sports years before the NWSL and WNBA would take off in earnest.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of premonition
Noun
  • Another way to see the Wasian moment is less as a portent of Asians being absorbed into whiteness and more as evidence of the desire to not allow that to happen.
    — E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026
  • His mode of reiteration and attenuation is an ominous portent for the future of fiction.
    — David Denby, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of portent
Noun
  • Lawrence has widened his aim to the entire AI industry, calling for a pause on AI development in the wake of fears from some at the companies that the technology could eliminate humanity.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Feldstein’s arrest was kept under a sweeping gag order, for fear that disclosing it would compromise Israeli intelligence, but the Haaretz reporter Bar Peleg soon learned of it.
    — Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of fear
Noun
  • Amid rising geopolitical tensions and a murky economic outlook, anxiety is clocking into work, producing false positives in productivity that look like engagement, but are actually a precursor to costly attrition and reputation loss.
    — Stacey Zolt Hara, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Nonetheless, Alford’s departure could be interpreted as a potential precursor to Norvell’s eventual replacement.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of precursor
Noun
  • For Villa, there were mitigating circumstances in this latest defeat by Glasner, yet the worry is they are still being caught with the same punches.
    — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Similar economic stressors like finding a new job if they get laid off, employer reductions of healthcare or retirement benefits, or simply not advancing in their career at pace significantly outrank worries about the impact of AI.
    — Stacey Zolt Hara, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of worry

Browse Nearby Words

prerogatives
presage
presaged
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Cite this Entry

“Presage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/presage. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

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