1
as in omens
something believed to be a sign or warning of a future event
a red sky in the morning can be a portent of a coming storm
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in miracles
something extraordinary or surprising
a scout was sent to have a look at this teenage pitcher who was supposed to be the latest portent of the baseball world
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of portents
Carol’s favorite, Bella Donna, does not carry the same dark portents.
—
Scott Tobias, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2025
Black cats can be portents of bad luck.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Nov. 2025
As portents go, after a testing summer for Newcastle, this did not look altogether positive.
—The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
Other auspicious portents are appearing, Worden says, that signal initial Mars colonies could begin spreading out, beneath crystalline hemispheric domes, across the 2030s.
—Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Advertisement Mamdani’s performance as mayor would be scrutinized for portents of the Democrats’ future.
—Mark Chiusano, Time, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portents
Noun
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In fact, some of you may have found a more spiritual connection to the universe, seeing omens, signs, and visions of what was, what is and what could be.—
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The pattern offers favorable omens for Saquon Barkley, a sports history buff, who breached 1,000 yards rushing with a 132-yard game against the Commanders.—
Noun
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Among the many miracles my mom pulled off throughout my childhood was fixing us a hot breakfast nearly every morning, school days included.—
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Last December, Yvette Olazar, a 33-year-old mom of three, had a hunch that her daughter Natalie, who was in 6th grade, had stopped believing in magical elves and Christmas miracles.—
Noun
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Those are, indeed, pat, credible theories and predictions.—
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Ahead of the season premiere, several of her family members spoke about their predictions for how her stint on the show will play out.—
Noun
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It’s worked wonders on my dry skin and dark circles, especially when combined with a thick moisturizer and eye cream.—
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Using a mild dish soap and water solution will work wonders.—
Noun
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One of the town's marvels is the four-mile-long Corinth Canal, a civil engineering project that began as an idea in ancient times but was not completed until the 19th century.—
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But these seven couples made their wedding celebrations truly unforgettable by tying the knot at world-famous sites, from ancient settings to modern marvels.—
Noun
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The governor-elect’s plans provide hints of how progressives elsewhere will try to tackle affordability problems.—
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No arrests have been announced, nor have police offered any hints for a motive for the killing.—
Noun
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The indie feature heralds from Benacus Entertainment and RNF Productions.—
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Thy Kingdom Come’s entrance heralds 10 total appearances for the album’s tracks on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.—
Noun
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Sea Tea Comedy Theater is not a living room, but that concept surely comes up sometimes in the audience suggestions that fuel the improv sketch comedy performances there.—
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State officials have said the suggestions of fraud are unsubstantiated.—
Cite this Entry
“Portents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portents. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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