harbinger 1 of 2

Definition of harbingernext

harbinger

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word harbinger distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of harbinger are forerunner, herald, and precursor. While all these words mean "one that goes before or announces the coming of another," harbinger and herald both apply, chiefly figuratively, to one that proclaims or announces the coming or arrival of a notable event.

their early victory was the harbinger of a winning season
the herald of a new age in medicine

When would forerunner be a good substitute for harbinger?

While the synonyms forerunner and harbinger are close in meaning, forerunner is applicable to anything that serves as a sign or presage.

the blockade was the forerunner of war

When could precursor be used to replace harbinger?

The meanings of precursor and harbinger largely overlap; however, precursor applies to a person or thing paving the way for the success or accomplishment of another.

18th century poets like Burns were precursors of the Romantics

How is the word harbinger distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of harbinger are forerunner, herald, and precursor. While all these words mean "one that goes before or announces the coming of another," harbinger and herald both apply, chiefly figuratively, to one that proclaims or announces the coming or arrival of a notable event.

their early victory was the harbinger of a winning season
the herald of a new age in medicine

When would forerunner be a good substitute for harbinger?

While the synonyms forerunner and harbinger are close in meaning, forerunner is applicable to anything that serves as a sign or presage.

the blockade was the forerunner of war

When could precursor be used to replace harbinger?

The meanings of precursor and harbinger largely overlap; however, precursor applies to a person or thing paving the way for the success or accomplishment of another.

18th century poets like Burns were precursors of the Romantics

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 harbinger
Noun
The erratic pendulating weather strikes some as a harbinger of more unpredictable seasons to come. Gregory Thomas, San Francisco Chronicle, 28 Mar. 2026 The water restrictions are a harbinger of what’s to come in many Western states as officials try to manage widespread drought concerns. Evan Bush, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026 These harbingers of doom turn out to be on to something, because shortly after, the couple are in an accident in which Jakob is killed. Alison Willmore, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2026 But if his early production is a harbinger of things to come, that could quickly change. Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 21 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for harbinger
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harbinger
Noun
  • John Tufts Spring is getting closer, and so is the full Worm Moon, a herald of the changing seasons.
    John Tufts, IndyStar, 24 Feb. 2026
  • Clear skies, buttery soft sunshine and tender new plant growth herald the early days of spring, weeks before the rest of the country gets to experience any of it.
    Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 21 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • But the right-hander rebounded by striking out the next three hitters, foreshadowing what turned out to be a historic outing.
    PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
  • With almost three years left in his final term, Trump’s absence from CPAC foreshadows his eventual departure as leader of the GOP and the conservative movement, a role typically served by the president or the party’s leading contender for the White House.
    Gromer Jeffers Jr. Political, Dallas Morning News, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Williams had managed traditional Tex-Mex restaurants that were the forerunner of today’s Mercado Juarez Cafes.
    Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2026
  • The camp is a program of the Woodcraft Rangers, founded by author and naturalist Ernest Thompson Seton, whose pioneering Woodcraft Rangers program was a forerunner to groups such as the Boy Scouts.
    Jessie Dax-Setkus, Oc Register, 22 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Overall, Sosnowski predicts that a gradual warmup is forecast in most cases after a cool start to the week.
    Doyle Rice, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
  • Large language models, or LLMs, are trained to predict the next most statistically likely word given everything that came before it, said Zhivar Sourati, a doctoral student at the University of Southern California and first author of the paper.
    Asuka Koda, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • In March, state media reported that China arrested seven people in an operation targeting traffickers of fentanyl precursors, according to the Reuters news agency.
    CBS News, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
  • The mission is a precursor to future Artemis launches that will rehearse rendezvous and docking maneuvers with the program's lunar landers, and eventually land astronauts on the lunar surface.
    Josh Dinner, Space.com, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Calls for unity imply that there’s a divide, but attendees had varying views on its scope and cause.
    Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Mar. 2026
  • The quote implies that only someone who understands the pinnacle of both the jewelry and art of the Graff, and the horological engineering of the Patek, can appreciate the value of an Aston Martin.
    Tony Leopardo, Mercury News, 29 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Dozens showed up to the Capitol on Tuesday, where advocates made speeches and attendees held signs and flags.
    Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Dozens flocked to City Hall, wielding signs and voicing pleas for Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty, Sacramento City Manager Maraskeshia Smith and other council members to halt construction.
    Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The horror has come now like a storm— what if this night prefigured the night after death— what if all thereafter was an eternal quivering on the edge of an abyss, with everything base and vicious in oneself urging one forward and the baseness and viciousness of the world just ahead.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
  • The Kamm tail, with its upturned spoiler and flat panel adorned with Ferrari’s signature twin round taillights, is a nod to aerodynamics that prefigures the shape of the Lusso’s spiritual successor, the 275 GTB.
    Robert Ross, Robb Report, 16 Feb. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Harbinger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harbinger. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on harbinger

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster