as in herald
one that announces or indicates the later arrival of another
her father's successful job interview was seen as a harbinger of better times to come
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to herald
to give a slight indication of beforehand
the hope that the housing slump does not harbinger a general economic recession
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of harbinger
Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 23 Dec. 2025
Before the coup, the export sector was seen as harbinger of business growth for the country, with global brands and business expanding their interests in Myanmar and the country being seen as a gateway for international business engagement and manufacturing growth.
—Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 22 Dec. 2025
With Anthony Davis out and Dallas missing several other teammates to injuries, this game may be a harbinger of things to come as Flagg becomes a centerpiece of the Mavericks' offense.
—CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025
Marc Short, a former aide to ex-vice president Mike Pence, predicted earlier this week that Democrats’ recent election victories could be a harbinger ahead of the 2026 midterms, suggesting Americans prefer divided government.
—Steff Danielle Thomas, The Hill, 13 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for harbinger
Noun
And then there is Broomfield County, which is either an anomaly or a harbinger.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for harbinger
Noun
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Hibiscus plants brighten up gardens with their big, colorful flowers that herald summer.—
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The Thanksgiving holiday, a staple of the waning autumn days and a herald of upcoming Christmas festivities, has stood as a pillar of American culture since before the country’s founding.—
Verb
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The film smartly foreshadows what will befall Alma and Maggie and Hank.—
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This solid resin, used to embalm the dead and as a painkiller (mixed with wine), poignantly foreshadowed Jesus' sacrificial destiny.—
Noun
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Perfected by forerunners such as Fiona Apple and Alanis Morissette, this fall has already seen two music stars gift us with lay-it-all-out-there lyrics.—
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The Park cinema launched under the ownership of Cineplex Odeon Cinemas, a forerunner of Cineplex and today an operator of multiplexes and out of home destinations.—
Verb
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Then, another cold front is predicted to return this weekend — dropping temperatures back down quite rapidly.—
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The world's largest economy weathered the shocks of 2025 better than most pundits predicted.—
Noun
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Nya Lödöse was an important precursor to modern-day Gothenburg, located in the city’s eastern part between 1473 and 1624.—
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Bogle introduced the first index fund for everyday investors, a precursor to the Vanguard 500.—
Verb
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Newsom’s interview Monday on MS NOW, the cable channel beloved by Democratic politicians and activist voters, implied anew that his final year as governor will be dominated by his all-but-certain bid for the White House in 2028.—
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Experts, however, caution the situation is much more complicated than the president might imply, and oil stocks lost steam on Tuesday after their Monday rally, undoing some of the previous day’s gains.—
Noun
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About 30 percent of the galaxies emit radio waves, a sign that their central black holes are active.—
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The rich-looking denim alternative was a big trend in 2025, with co-signs from Hailey Bieber and Martha Stewart.—
Verb
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Military action in Venezuela today without allies may prefigure action tomorrow against allies—for example, to invade and annex Greenland.—
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Tragedy strikes many times in this decades-spanning story, in many forms, but the defining event of Grainier’s life sees his home burned to the ground, an event that eerily prefigures the LA fires of early 2025.—
Cite this Entry
“Harbinger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harbinger. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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