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presentiment

noun

pri-ˈzen-tə-mənt How to pronounce presentiment (audio)
Definition of presentimentnext
as in premonition
a feeling that something bad will happen a nagging presentiment of danger

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 presentiment That presentiment lies behind the many present expressions of apocalypse. — Literary Hub, 18 May 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for presentiment
  1. premonition
  2. feel
  3. fear
  4. suspicion
  5. worry
  6. foreboding
Noun
  • But Weiss’ premonitions about what was ahead now certainly seem prophetic at the time.
    — Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 21 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of premonition
Noun
  • Costume designer Amy Roth watched hours and hours of footage of a young Stallone to nail the feel of his wardrobe, while production designer Anthony Gasparro meticulously recreated the sets from the 1976 movie.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The classic is a plush fleece with a velvety soft feel, while the luxe style is double-lined with faux sherpa for heavier warmth.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of feel
Noun
  • Retaliation is not unheard of in higher education and fear of scheming colleagues is common.
    — Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026
  • That’s a major shift from earlier this year, when fears of AI disruption, concerns about Copilot, and heavy data center spending weighed on the stock.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of fear
Noun
  • Anderson said his behavior during their first date raised suspicion.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Zhang posted a suspicion in the team’s chat that the choice of coordinates was to blame.
    — Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of suspicion
Noun
  • Thankfully, my worries turned out to be unfounded, because the talent show in this episode turns out to be her time to shine.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The agency faces a $9-billion loss, a looming cash crunch and election-year worries over late mail ballots; Steiner urged voters to send ballots a week early.
    — Steven Sloan, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of worry
Noun
  • And here’s where all the flash-forward business this season finally comes into thematic focus, imbuing the scene with an Old-Testament style foreboding.
    — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2026
  • On stage, the audience is the camera, peering into a cutaway of set designer Fly Davis’ ominous, two-story house, lit with foreboding foreshadowing by Anna Watson.
    — Frank Rizzo, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of foreboding

Browse Nearby Words

presented
presentiment
presentiments
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Cite this Entry

“Presentiment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/presentiment. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

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