as in prediction
a declaration that something will happen in the future
took the soothsayings published in the tabloids with a grain of salt
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as in predicting
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Recent Examples of soothsaying
Damon Wise, Deadline, 23 May 2025
It’s told in flashback to Simba and Nala’s daughter, Kiara, by the soothsaying mandrill Rafiki, with the meerkat Timon and the warthog Pumbaa goofing on the sidelines.
—Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2024
Does Nashawaty, in his soothsaying capacity, even have the right decade?
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 15 July 2024
But it was powered by profound public discontent with Argentina’s sclerotic status quo, especially from a generation of younger voters who have seen little relief from years of endemic fiscal crisis and debt, and have no more patience for the appeals and soothsaying of the establishment.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2023
For now, earthquakes remains the trickiest natural disaster to predict, but our earthquake soothsaying is improving, as geologists uncover the subtle secrets of the world-shaking movements along Earth’s many fault lines.
—Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, 20 July 2023
During the panel, Travers asked O’Dowd about Dusty’s reaction to the soothsaying device.
—H. Drew Blackburn, Variety, 23 Mar. 2023
And this soothsaying is anything but soothing.
—Jacob Oller, chicagotribune.com, 25 Sep. 2020
By the 17th century, English almanacs in particular were predicting plagues, earthquakes and other calamities with such profligacy that an industry of satirical almanacs sprang up to mock the earnest soothsaying of the others.
—Jack Feerick, Discover Magazine, 4 Dec. 2020
Adjective
As Pete says, juries almost literally live on another planet, being sequestered from the likes of us and our soothsaying.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 23 May 2025
It’s told in flashback to Simba and Nala’s daughter, Kiara, by the soothsaying mandrill Rafiki, with the meerkat Timon and the warthog Pumbaa goofing on the sidelines.
—Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2024
Does Nashawaty, in his soothsaying capacity, even have the right decade?
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 15 July 2024
But it was powered by profound public discontent with Argentina’s sclerotic status quo, especially from a generation of younger voters who have seen little relief from years of endemic fiscal crisis and debt, and have no more patience for the appeals and soothsaying of the establishment.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2023
For now, earthquakes remains the trickiest natural disaster to predict, but our earthquake soothsaying is improving, as geologists uncover the subtle secrets of the world-shaking movements along Earth’s many fault lines.
—Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, 20 July 2023
During the panel, Travers asked O’Dowd about Dusty’s reaction to the soothsaying device.
—H. Drew Blackburn, Variety, 23 Mar. 2023
And this soothsaying is anything but soothing.
—Jacob Oller, chicagotribune.com, 25 Sep. 2020
By the 17th century, English almanacs in particular were predicting plagues, earthquakes and other calamities with such profligacy that an industry of satirical almanacs sprang up to mock the earnest soothsaying of the others.
—Jack Feerick, Discover Magazine, 4 Dec. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soothsaying
Noun
-
Among the 18 weather regions for which the Old Farmer's Almanac offers predictions, normal to mild temperatures are expected this winter — with the exception of the Appalachians, Southeast, Florida and Ohio Valley, where below-normal temperatures are predicted.—
Sarah Moore,
Freep.com,
28 Aug. 2025
-
Illingworth found the neurologist's prediction was true.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
But hope springs eternal, and the quarterback’s preseason performance against the Bills (completing 6-of-10 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown) has spurred some sunny forecasts in the Windy City.—
Jake Ciely,
New York Times,
20 Aug. 2025
-
Extensive beach erosion is also likely, with waves of 20 feet or more forecast.—
Jade Walker,
CNN Money,
19 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
To pull, to call back your citizenry identity, a patchwork, a prophecy.—
Anne Waldman
August 14,
Literary Hub,
14 Aug. 2025
-
This story, which took a decade to bring to the small screen, begins with a prophecy.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
In the Coen brothers’ films, wondrous coincidences and absurd exaggerations come off as a comic cosmic order, as a cynical version of metaphysics.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
21 Aug. 2025
-
What our wondrous, astonishingly destructive civilization ultimately means is not something to be decided by those who caused it or even those doomed to live through its end, but only by those who come after: the children of our ruin.—
Roy Scranton
August 20,
Literary Hub,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
And until the two men fell out this spring, Trump granted Tesla CEO Elon Musk an extraordinary amount of power to dismantle the federal workforce.—
Maria Aspan,
NPR,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Shooting for the stars and achieving the extraordinary is nothing new for elite athletes who reach the pinnacle of any sport.—
Andrew Rice,
New York Times,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The sequel is certainly a stupendous achievement in terms of its animation, and clearly has great cultural resonance in its native country.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Aug. 2025
-
Kayla McBride had 18 points on the strength of four triples, while Courtney Williams had 14 points, seven assists and five boards and Alanna Smith finished with eight points, nine rebounds, seven assists, four steals and three blocks while quarterbacking another stupendous defensive effort.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
10 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The disruption led chair umpire Greg Allensworth to put Bonzi back onto his first serve, sparking an astonishing outburst from Medvedev.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
25 Aug. 2025
-
The Corinthian’s 54 suites range in size from 485 square feet to an astonishing 2,476 square feet.—
Everett Potter,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The plant’s miraculous feat of survival may seem as enigmatic as its ancestry, but the two are likely connected, according to Welch’s colleague Dr. Greg Grant, the Smith County horticulturist for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.—
Jessica Jordan,
CNN Money,
27 Aug. 2025
-
This is a nearly miraculous achievement for a stove setup this small and light (8 ounces).—
Scott Gilbertson,
Wired News,
22 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Soothsaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soothsaying. Accessed 1 Sep. 2025.
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