the writing/handwriting is on the wall
idiom
—used to say that it is clear that something bad will probably happen soon
I haven't lost my job yet, but the writing is on the wall: my company just laid off 50 more people today.
Examples of the writing/handwriting is on the wall in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
So, with a fresh AP top-25 poll released Sunday afternoon, the writing is on the wall about how the playoff picture will be broken down.
—
Tyler Small, Forbes, 25 Nov. 2024
Wolves fans are not as desperate to get rid of their Chinese owners as their Reading counterparts but the writing is on the wall and the West Midlands club have quietly been on the market all year.
—Matt Slater, The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024
While athletics is not strictly cited, those against the proposition say the writing is on the wall.
—Ryan Morik, Fox News, 9 Oct. 2024
But for many Gambian women’s rights activists, the writing is on the wall if the ban is reversed.
—Astha Rajvanshi, TIME, 23 May 2024
All the same, some suspect that for this view of quantum mechanics, the writing is on the wall.
—Philip Ball, Quanta Magazine, 20 Oct. 2022
The erratic president, Alexander Lukashenko, might decide the writing is on the wall and suddenly decide to flee, setting off further repercussions.
—Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2023
Already, the handwriting is on the wall: This is not going to well for John Durham, the special counsel appointed to investigate the genesis of the FBI’s Trump–Russia probe.
—Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 11 Oct. 2022
For climate scientists, the writing is on the wall as dead bodies surface at one of the nation’s largest reservoirs that serves water to roughly 20 million people.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2022
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.
Tyler Small, Forbes, 25 Nov. 2024
Wolves fans are not as desperate to get rid of their Chinese owners as their Reading counterparts but the writing is on the wall and the West Midlands club have quietly been on the market all year.
—Matt Slater, The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024
While athletics is not strictly cited, those against the proposition say the writing is on the wall.
—Ryan Morik, Fox News, 9 Oct. 2024
But for many Gambian women’s rights activists, the writing is on the wall if the ban is reversed.
—Astha Rajvanshi, TIME, 23 May 2024
All the same, some suspect that for this view of quantum mechanics, the writing is on the wall.
—Philip Ball, Quanta Magazine, 20 Oct. 2022
The erratic president, Alexander Lukashenko, might decide the writing is on the wall and suddenly decide to flee, setting off further repercussions.
—Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2023
Already, the handwriting is on the wall: This is not going to well for John Durham, the special counsel appointed to investigate the genesis of the FBI’s Trump–Russia probe.
—Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 11 Oct. 2022
For climate scientists, the writing is on the wall as dead bodies surface at one of the nation’s largest reservoirs that serves water to roughly 20 million people.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2022
Dictionary Entries Near the writing/handwriting is on the wall
the writing/handwriting is on the wall
Cite this Entry
“The writing/handwriting is on the wall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20writing%2Fhandwriting%20is%20on%20the%20wall. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share