as in premonition
a feeling that something bad will happen
a nagging presentiment of danger
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of presentiment
Toni has been reluctant to let Amalie go out by herself—her bringing back a telescope seems to confirm some kind of fear, or presentiment.
—
Willing Davidson, The New Yorker, 21 July 2024
The lavishness turns quickly into horror — Godwin gives us buckets of blood unasked for in the original — and then into a presentiment of Lear on the heath.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2020
Seen from behind, men and women bundled up in heavy coats are saturated with a mute presentiment, that of people beginning to endure.
—Han Kang, Harper's magazine, 10 Feb. 2019
Those years, of course, marked respectively the peak of the frenzied optimism of the last business cycle and the first chilling presentiments of what was to come.
—Gerard Baker, WSJ, 25 Jan. 2019
Willing Davidson, The New Yorker, 21 July 2024
The lavishness turns quickly into horror — Godwin gives us buckets of blood unasked for in the original — and then into a presentiment of Lear on the heath.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2020
Seen from behind, men and women bundled up in heavy coats are saturated with a mute presentiment, that of people beginning to endure.
—Han Kang, Harper's magazine, 10 Feb. 2019
Those years, of course, marked respectively the peak of the frenzied optimism of the last business cycle and the first chilling presentiments of what was to come.
—Gerard Baker, WSJ, 25 Jan. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for presentiment
Noun
-
The data in the new study validates these premonitions.—
Alex Hutchinson,
Outside,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The premonition came true in the 36th minute.—
Colin Cerniglia,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And finally, the fisherman sandal has the kind of vintage yet modern feel that instantly adds a sense of charm to any look.—
Alex Sales,
Glamour,
14 Feb. 2026
-
This thick, glass set has a mid-century modern feel that’s not only stylish, but also heat-resistant and durable.—
Gabriela Izquierdo,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
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That sparked fears that AI tools could eat into existing companies’ business models and customer bases.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
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But the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti have also stoked fear that people who record or otherwise monitor federal immigration operations risk arrest.—
Kristen Taketa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Three people were taken into custody, and one was being held on suspicion of murder, Eisenman said.—
Jordan B. Darling,
Daily News,
15 Feb. 2026
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Since the racial justice protests of 2020, however, political posting has existed under sustained suspicion as performative.—
Alessandra Schade,
Time,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Its stock has been under pressure because of worries that competitors powered by artificial intelligence technology could upend its industry and take away customers.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
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But the new study—along with previous research—reiterates that worries of weight gain with mango consumption aren’t substantiated.—
Lauren Manaker MS,
Health,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Meanwhile, hardly five months after France’s Canal+ Group completed its long-gestating $2 billion takeover of South African pay-TV giant MultiChoice, solidifying a merger of the two largest media players on the continent, a sense of foreboding remains over the fallout.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
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And assuming Edmonton does make it, their path out of the division wouldn’t be that foreboding.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Presentiment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/presentiment. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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