Did you know?
It may seem like a stretch to say that portend, beloved verb of seers, soothsayers, and meteorologists alike, is related to tendon—the word we use to refer to the dense white fibrous tissue that helps us, well, stretch—but it’s likely true. Portend comes from the Latin verb portendere (“to predict or foretell”), which in turn developed as a combination of the prefix por- (“forward”) and the verb tendere (“to stretch”). Tendere is thought to have led to tendon, among other words. So you might imagine portend as having a literal meaning of “stretching forward to predict.” In any event, the history of the word surely showcases the flexibility of our language.
Examples of portend in a Sentence
Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 21 Dec. 2024
That portends some very challenging conversations this upcoming budget session.
—Brittany Carloni, The Indianapolis Star, 20 Dec. 2024
The massive complex of open pits and ponds portends a potentially toxic landscape the environmentalists hope to prevent from repeating itself starting with Copper World on the valley’s east side, nearer Tucson.
—Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 19 Dec. 2024
A week later, another round of large-scale military drills around Taiwan portended a very unnatural disaster.
—Joshua Keating, Vox, 16 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for portend 
Dictionary Entries Near portend
Cite this Entry
“Portend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/portend. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
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portend
verb
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