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
His presentiments had been right, but all those garlic pills and pulse recordings had done nothing to save him.
—Gillian Silverman, The New Yorker, 15 July 2023
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
During the 1919 scenes she is occasionally stopped in her tracks by presentiments of what’s in store around the corner.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2017
Willing Davidson, The New Yorker, 21 July 2024
His presentiments had been right, but all those garlic pills and pulse recordings had done nothing to save him.
—Gillian Silverman, The New Yorker, 15 July 2023
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
During the 1919 scenes she is occasionally stopped in her tracks by presentiments of what’s in store around the corner.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for presentiment
Noun
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The film series follows groups of people who escape their impending deaths after someone receives a premonition about their doom, saving them from their grisly fate.—
Leia Mendoza,
Variety,
25 July 2025
-
However, this wasn't an exact premonition of what would happen over the next 17 holes.—
Julio Cesar Valdera Morales,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
Ormond Beach is just five miles north of Daytona Beach, but has a small town vibe and historic feel.—
Bonnie Gross,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Aug. 2025
-
Also on offer are Nike Cortez varieties with textile uppers for added breathability, those whose suede is a bit more textured than usual and thus grants a heritage feel, and hot-pink crowd favorites that feed the resurgence of ’80s-era neon.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
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And yet, our fears or feelings that things will spiral out of control again?—
Kenny Malone,
NPR,
15 Aug. 2025
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The study is not meant to fuel fears but to provide a clear argument for planetary defense by putting the risks of asteroid impacts into context.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
When Rudi’s family arrives at their country house, signs of an intruder spark suspicion.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
16 Aug. 2025
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Because of that though the suspicion of inauthenticity becomes part of the draw, like a world reoriented to the ontology of professional wrestling.—
Emil Steiner,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
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His worry is that a robust response could be lacking since both the U.S. and a number of European countries have cut so much of their humanitarian aid.—
Gabrielle Emanuel,
NPR,
13 Aug. 2025
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The New York Yankees have maintained an optimistic tone, despite some real reason for worry.—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Andrew Skeet and Nathan Klein’s orchestral original score sets an appropriate tone of mournful foreboding.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
7 June 2025
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Early in President Donald Trump’s second term, European leaders and many U.S. defense and security experts were anticipating this week’s NATO summit with foreboding.—
Howard LaFranchi,
Christian Science Monitor,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Presentiment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/presentiment. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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