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
Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 11 Apr. 2025
The day before, Trump signed a series of executive orders to placate coal country, portending to extend the lives of coal plants and promote coal exports — a move that the Sierra Club said guts pollution and safety controls while raising energy bills on working class Americans.
—Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Nightmare Alley’s big-name director and A-list talent (Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara and several more) and a December release seemed to portend a hit for the master of gothic and horror.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 27 Mar. 2025
Boston may have a better chance at the division title this year now that Yankees ace Gerrit Cole is out for the entire season, but Saturday seemed to portend the American League East will still be more gauntlet than cake-walk.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 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 29 Apr. 2025.
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portend
verb
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