omen

noun

ˈō-mən 

: an occurrence or phenomenon (see phenomenon sense 1) believed to portend a future event : augury

The dark clouds were considered a bad omen.

Synonyms of omen

• portent
• forerunner
• augury
• prediction
• foreshadowing
• precursor
• presage
• hint
• suggestion
• foreboding
• herald

Examples of omen in a Sentence

They regarded the win as a good omen for the team.

omens of things to come

Recent Examples on the Web

No omens, no fear—just another extraordinarily beautiful experience locked into memory. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 17 Aug. 2026

Black cats can be seen as bad omens, sometimes associated with witches and with the old superstition to not let a black cat cross your path. — Maddie Rhodes, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2026

An omen of the future — The firing is an event worth paying attention to, says Andon Labs CEO Lukas Petersson, because if AI keeps getting better at its current rate, more of us might be managed by AI bosses in the near future. — Billy Perrigo, Time, 14 Aug. 2026

Portents and omens, often thought of as signs, have long been important in Hoodoo. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin omin-, omen

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for omen

• bowmen
• coman
• foeman
• foemen
• gnomon
• nomen
• roman
• showman
• showmen
• soman
• toman
• yeoman

Kids Definition

omen

noun

ˈō-mən 

: a happening believed to be a sign or warning of some future event