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
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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
Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 28 Apr. 2025
The idea of stable industrial prosperity would’ve shocked America’s Founders, who tended to see manufacturing as less a harbinger of wealth than an adjunct of poverty.
— Made By History, Time, 21 Apr. 2025
So the fact that Xbox games are now free to land on any platform might be a harbinger of things to come, and this could give Microsoft a foundational head-start in the race toward a different future.
—Mitch Wallace, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
As the United States withdraws and international institutions decay, their ordeal may be a harbinger of what is to come.
—Lynsey Addario, The Atlantic, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for harbinger
Noun
And, in hindsight, a harbinger for even worse puck luck to come for the burgundy and blue, as Blackwood’s blunder was still to come.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 28 Apr. 2025
The idea of stable industrial prosperity would’ve shocked America’s Founders, who tended to see manufacturing as less a harbinger of wealth than an adjunct of poverty.
— Made By History, Time, 21 Apr. 2025
So the fact that Xbox games are now free to land on any platform might be a harbinger of things to come, and this could give Microsoft a foundational head-start in the race toward a different future.
—Mitch Wallace, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
As the United States withdraws and international institutions decay, their ordeal may be a harbinger of what is to come.
—Lynsey Addario, The Atlantic, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for harbinger
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harbinger
Noun
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Like the Marvel comics, Shalla-Bal is the herald of Galactus, a planet-devouring behemoth who is voiced by Ralph Ineson in the movie.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2025
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In the original comics, the Silver Surfer was Norrin Radd, a male astronomer from the planet Zenn-La who became the herald of Galactus.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
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This late comeback against Jon Lester and an Athletics team that had looked like a powerhouse through the first half of the season foreshadowed the next two Octobers in K.C.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
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These examples foreshadow this emerging path of development, distinct from the Industrial Age model of cheap-labor, high-scale manufacturing for export.—
Robert C. Wolcott,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
Noun
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The forerunner of today’s sleek MacBook laptops was the PowerBook.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
11 June 2025
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Frederick Ashton’s for the Sadler’s Wells Ballet (the forerunner of the Royal Ballet) in 1952, with a resplendent Margot Fonteyn in the title role, put the ballet back into the mainstream repertory, though it wasn’t performed by the Royal from the mid-1960s to 2004.—
Roslyn Sulcas,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Verb
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In Copenhagen, meteorologists predict the city will receive 30% more rainfall by the end of this century.—
Rob Schmitz,
NPR,
13 June 2025
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Prices could further spike, however, if Iran targets Saudi Arabia’s oil supplies or creates shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, through which almost 25% of total global oil consumption flows, with some experts predicting $100 oil per barrel.—
Mathias Hammer,
semafor.com,
13 June 2025
Noun
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By World Health Organization (WHO) standards established in 1994, this designates a person as having osteopenia — often a precursor to osteoporosis.—
Jia H. Jung,
Mercury News,
4 June 2025
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Leverton said trends like western, cottagecore, Americana and conservative styles of dress, in general, were precursors to where things were the U.S. presidential election was heading last year.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
30 May 2025
Verb
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Roughly 56% of analysts surveyed by FactSet have a buy rating on JPMorgan stock, and the average analyst consensus price target implies about 3% upside.—
Brian Evans,
CNBC,
15 June 2025
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This seems to imply that, for now, Sajet isn’t going anywhere.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2025
Noun
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According to celebrities, there are already signs of the silhouettes will reign supreme.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
16 June 2025
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Both pursuits satisfy our craving for signs of humanity in a being thought to be divine.—
S. C. Cornell,
New Yorker,
16 June 2025
Verb
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Its extreme hostility to the very idea of liberal governance, its skepticism of democracy, and its faith in the primacy of the wealthy over the law all prefigured the way that Trump and Elon Musk would assail key functions of government in 2025.—
Zack Beauchamp,
Vox,
7 Dec. 2018
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The widescreen, 35mm format prefigured IMAX and other high-density imagery in a way that still stuns on screen.—
John Wenzel,
The Denver Post,
31 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Harbinger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harbinger. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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