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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of portent
Rather than receiving traditional care, however, Hylton was unwittingly plunged into a cold experiment in using remote work to offset hospital staffing shortages, which could be a grim portent in an age of AI automation.
—
Frank Landymore, Futurism, 8 Apr. 2026
This was only a portent of things to come — the protests were dwarfed by massive protests and riots against the regime in September 2022-2023, then the largest protests in December 2025 to January 2026.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 28 Mar. 2026
That seemed a portent of more to come as the June primary inches ever closer.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2026
That seemed a portent of more to come as the June primary inches ever closer.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for portent
Frank Landymore, Futurism, 8 Apr. 2026
This was only a portent of things to come — the protests were dwarfed by massive protests and riots against the regime in September 2022-2023, then the largest protests in December 2025 to January 2026.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 28 Mar. 2026
That seemed a portent of more to come as the June primary inches ever closer.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2026
That seemed a portent of more to come as the June primary inches ever closer.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for portent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portent
Noun
-
Las Damas was founded in May 1948 and put on the Beachcomber’s Carnival, a forerunner of the Sunset Beach Art Festival, in July of that year.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
7 May 2026
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The brand was also a forerunner with exclusive collaborations.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
7 May 2026
Noun
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Her work explores healing from childhood trauma, perfectionism, motherhood, and the quiet synchronistic winks that guide us to the miracles awaiting us.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 May 2026
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The farmer then slipped into a coma and only came out of it a few weeks later, with doctors calling him a miracle, per the BBC.—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Call it an omen for the accomplishment that Bergstrom pulled off on Thursday, sprinting down the runway and flying through the air to assert herself as the top pole vaulter in Colorado.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
15 May 2026
-
Week 1 of the 2025 season should have been taken as an omen of what’s to come.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
The Tribune adopted it in 1940, but Porter’s motto remained largely a regional phenomenon for four decades until CBS broadcaster Brent Musburger, a former Chicago newspaper reporter, began using it during the NCAA tournament in 1982.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
-
This hyperspecificity isn’t just a political phenomenon.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
The filing was a precursor to what will surely be a defense request for sanctions, which could range from financial reimbursement for their clients’ legal fees and potentially against the individual prosecutors in the case.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
22 May 2026
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Could these be precursors to output deals?—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
22 May 2026
Noun
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Benjamín Echazarreta’s cinematography is alert to the workaday energy of the hotel as well as the eerie beauty of the setting, with its mix of fairy-tale wonder and bone-deep dread.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
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Some looks are too good to be treated as a one-wear wonder, and such looks are often by Chanel.—
Alice Newbold,
Vogue,
14 May 2026
Noun
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With Hokum’s foreshadowing of a downbeat conclusion — and considering the rest of McCarthy’s filmography — Ohm’s survival feels unlikely.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
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His comments contained a bit of foreshadowing.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Purists and fans were dispirited; this 650 hp engine had its own fan base for its throaty power and engineering marvel.—
Scotty Reiss,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
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Getting the carbon out of buildings, factories, and transportation infrastructure provides no awe, no spiritual elevation, no invitation for humans to reflect on the marvel that is our planet.—
John Reid,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Portent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portent. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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