as in prediction
a declaration that something will happen in the future
took the soothsayings published in the tabloids with a grain of salt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in predicting
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 soothsaying
Literary Hub, 16 Apr. 2026
Yet another closed the gap between doomsday soothsaying, beautiful love songs, the buzzing of broken refrigerators, and the august majesty of whales.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 16 Dec. 2025
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
And he’s developed a recent interest in soothsaying, a result of several visits to psychic Frank Andrews.
—Tonya Blazio-Licorish, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Noun
This is the mix of soothsaying and realism that entrepreneurs like Musk deploy to raise money for their companies.
—Literary Hub, 16 Apr. 2026
Yet another closed the gap between doomsday soothsaying, beautiful love songs, the buzzing of broken refrigerators, and the august majesty of whales.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 16 Dec. 2025
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
And he’s developed a recent interest in soothsaying, a result of several visits to psychic Frank Andrews.
—Tonya Blazio-Licorish, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soothsaying
Noun
-
The odds of the Clarity Act being passed this year have dropped back from almost 70% on the Polymarket prediction platform, falling to just over 50%.—
Billy Bambrough,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
There were dire predictions about what would happen if Measure E doesn't pass.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
Two forecasting centers - the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Colorado State University (CSU) - are forecasting below-normal activity for the 2026 season, primarily due to a rapidly developing strong El Nino.—
Cutter Martin,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
-
Let the machines handle forecasting, logistics, compliance, customer service.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
With the 2025 college football season on the horizon, months of previewing and predicting soon will be in the rearview mirror.—
Quentin Corpuel,
Kansas City Star,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Thoughts of all the beautiful, mundane, familiar things that make life so sweet had turned sour in my ominous fortune-telling.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Saturday’s forecast suggests around a 50% chance of rain in the vicinity of the cave system, as Laos enters its annual rainy season.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
-
This would, all else equal, support a cautious approach to raising rates, and is consistent with our forecast for two 25 basis point hikes in June and September.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
What might have sounded like a bold claim at the turn of the millennium has turned into a self-fulfilling prophecy in today’s era of big data and artificial intelligence.—
Sandra Matz,
The Conversation,
27 May 2026
-
Two reversals and a vindication For the OpenAI CEO, his comments walk back his prophecy on AI’s impact on labor.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
26 May 2026
Adjective
-
Instead, text produced by large language models, however remarkable, sophisticated, and even occasionally wondrous, is derivative, average, predictable.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
And all that is thanks to this wondrous and wonderful album by The Cars!—
Liza Lentini,
SPIN,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Dylan’s custom Fender Stratocaster reflects both his extraordinary creativity and the pioneering spirit of the American guitar maker.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
1 June 2026
-
Are Henry James’s heroines, surely among the most extraordinary female characters in literary history, really one-dimensional idols?—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Soothsaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soothsaying. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
