1
as in forerunner
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 miracle
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of portent
Black cats can be portents of bad luck.
—
Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Nov. 2025
Many reckoned with its ideals; pervasive talk of liberty held particular portent for women’s lives.
—Jane Kamensky, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2025
Keane, though, sees nothing but disaster ahead, a portent presaged by some of the film’s most enduring images, like a stretch limo with a flat tire and a steam room littered with empty champagne bottles.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 5 Sep. 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
See All Example Sentences for portent
Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Nov. 2025
Many reckoned with its ideals; pervasive talk of liberty held particular portent for women’s lives.
—Jane Kamensky, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2025
Keane, though, sees nothing but disaster ahead, a portent presaged by some of the film’s most enduring images, like a stretch limo with a flat tire and a steam room littered with empty champagne bottles.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 5 Sep. 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
See All Example Sentences for portent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portent
Noun
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Sheila Bridges also comes to mind as such a forerunner for our community, embracing the beauty of our heritage and culture.—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The forerunner of British Invasion took the summit of American entertainment, which was a huge deal across generations.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
As a teenager Acutis used his tech savvy to create a website that listed Eucharistic miracles.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
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There are no miracle cures for COVID-19, including dietary supplements.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
An omen of good things to come.—
Bill Reinhard,
New York Daily News,
5 Feb. 2026
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Such reactions from a judge are not generally considered a favorable omen for a litigant.—
David A. Graham,
The Atlantic,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Indeed, they are considered one of those inexplicable phenomena only North Americans like, along with American football, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and widespread gun ownership.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
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The central element of Zurek’s approach is the phenomenon called quantum entanglement, another of the nonintuitive things that happen at quantum scales.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Commercial prediction markets have resisted efforts by states to classify and regulate them as gambling companies, insisting that they — like their precursor in Iowa — should be overseen by federal regulators.—
Suzy Khimm,
NBC news,
13 Feb. 2026
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There’s a direct line from Licklider’s work to ARPANET, a precursor to the internet and World Wide Web, through the work of Robert Taylor, Doug Engelbart, Ted Nelson, and Tim Berners-Lee.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The Cave of Munits is an easy place to reconnect with your childlike wonder, but please explore with respect and reverence for the place.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Philosophy is a practice of wonder and logic; curiosity and introspection; dialectic and meditation; criticism and advocacy.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In a possible foreshadowing of the teenage years to come, Timberlake and his boys zoned out while playing video games.—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
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With Division 1 being wide open this season, this early-season matchup is a possible foreshadowing of a postseason matchup.—
Mukala Kabongo,
Boston Herald,
23 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Seward marvels over a cream Zoran jacket, and tries on a khaki wool cape designed by Gianni Versace for Italian label Callaghan in the early ‘80s.—
Joelle Diderich,
Footwear News,
14 Feb. 2026
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The pyramids, the temples, the stunning gold jewelry found in royal tombs — all of these marvels depended on practical, everyday tools wielded by skilled hands.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Portent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portent. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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