as in premonition
a feeling that something bad will happen
a nagging presentiment of danger
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 presentiment
Toni has been reluctant to let Amalie go out by herself—her bringing back a telescope seems to confirm some kind of fear, or presentiment.
—
Willing Davidson, The New Yorker, 21 July 2024
The lavishness turns quickly into horror — Godwin gives us buckets of blood unasked for in the original — and then into a presentiment of Lear on the heath.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2020
Seen from behind, men and women bundled up in heavy coats are saturated with a mute presentiment, that of people beginning to endure.
—Han Kang, Harper's magazine, 10 Feb. 2019
Those years, of course, marked respectively the peak of the frenzied optimism of the last business cycle and the first chilling presentiments of what was to come.
—Gerard Baker, WSJ, 25 Jan. 2019
Willing Davidson, The New Yorker, 21 July 2024
The lavishness turns quickly into horror — Godwin gives us buckets of blood unasked for in the original — and then into a presentiment of Lear on the heath.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2020
Seen from behind, men and women bundled up in heavy coats are saturated with a mute presentiment, that of people beginning to endure.
—Han Kang, Harper's magazine, 10 Feb. 2019
Those years, of course, marked respectively the peak of the frenzied optimism of the last business cycle and the first chilling presentiments of what was to come.
—Gerard Baker, WSJ, 25 Jan. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for presentiment
Noun
-
The premonition came true in the 36th minute.—
Colin Cerniglia,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The movie tells the story of a group of people who are kicked off of a flight to Paris due to a fight which starts after one of the passengers has a premonition that the plane will explode midflight and kill everyone on board.—
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The song is widely seen as a protest against the displacement of communities and the privatization of natural resources – issues that younger generations on the island feel are also happening in Puerto Rico.—
Rocio Munoz,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The subtropical feel allows for plenty of golf, walks on the beach, fishing, gardening, boating, and hiking, all of which are hobbies beloved by many retirees.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The killings of Good and Pretti sparked further fear and backlash.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Twelve years after an NFL game was first shown on television in a period of fear of war and triumph in war, the championship game itself was broadcast across the country for the first time.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the explosion, but suspicion is likely to fall on militants such as the Pakistani Taliban or the Islamic State group, which has been blamed for previous attacks on Shiite worshippers.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Feb. 2026
-
In a June 2025 memo to Health Care Agency Director Veronica Kelley, Sabet noted that county staff failed to report its suspicions of abuse by 360 Clinic to the compliance office and fell short in overseeing the county’s $5 million contract with the vendor.—
Tony Saavedra,
Oc Register,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The social media giant's guidance offset worries about its sky-high spending on artificial intelligence.—
,
CNBC,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Keogh said that access is a security worry because people in the indictment include citizens of communist China, an American rival.—
Steve Patterson,
Florida Times-Union,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And assuming Edmonton does make it, their path out of the division wouldn’t be that foreboding.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Ought this scene to be read as foreplay or foreboding?—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Presentiment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/presentiment. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
