Did you know?
It may seem like a stretch to say that portend, beloved verb of seers, soothsayers, and meteorologists alike, is related to tendon—the word we use to refer to the dense white fibrous tissue that helps us, well, stretch—but it’s likely true. Portend comes from the Latin verb portendere (“to predict or foretell”), which in turn developed as a combination of the prefix por- (“forward”) and the verb tendere (“to stretch”). Tendere is thought to have led to tendon, among other words. So you might imagine portend as having a literal meaning of “stretching forward to predict.” In any event, the history of the word surely showcases the flexibility of our language.
Examples of portend in a Sentence
Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2025
This development portends a new paradigm for the labor economy.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025
May’s early trip to Washington, designed in part to convince Trump not to withdraw from NATO, did not portend particularly warm ties for the rest of his term.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2025
Meanwhile, the birth rate has dipped to just 1.4 children per woman, portending a shrinking, aging populace.
—By Charlie Campbell/gelephu, Bhutan, TIME, 16 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for portend
Cite this Entry
“Portend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/portend. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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portend
verb
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