as in herald
one that announces or indicates the later arrival of another
her father's successful job interview was seen as a harbinger of better times to come
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to herald
to give a slight indication of beforehand
the hope that the housing slump does not harbinger a general economic recession
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 harbinger
Zoe Guy, Vulture, 1 Mar. 2025
Especially after a long, cold winter, these fruits and vegetables are a refreshing sight—and are harbingers of the bounty to come for the next several months.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Feb. 2025
Sure, Cactus League performance isn’t a harbinger of regular-season success, but the Cubs are off to a 4-0 start this spring following a 6-5 victory Sunday against the Texas Rangers at Sloan Park.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2025
In Japanese mythology, oarfish are viewed as harbingers of doom, signaling impending earthquakes.
—Amanda Holpuch, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for harbinger
Noun
The dinner was a harbinger of an announcement that led many to self-identify as a military wife: BTS is now on a three-year hiatus to complete mandatory service.
—Zoe Guy, Vulture, 1 Mar. 2025
Especially after a long, cold winter, these fruits and vegetables are a refreshing sight—and are harbingers of the bounty to come for the next several months.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Feb. 2025
Sure, Cactus League performance isn’t a harbinger of regular-season success, but the Cubs are off to a 4-0 start this spring following a 6-5 victory Sunday against the Texas Rangers at Sloan Park.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2025
In Japanese mythology, oarfish are viewed as harbingers of doom, signaling impending earthquakes.
—Amanda Holpuch, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for harbinger
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harbinger
Noun
-
This sleek argent-toned agent was once Norrin Radd, a historian from the planet Zenn-La who signed up to be Galactus’ herald to spare his homeworld from an unthinkable fate.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
12 Mar. 2025
-
Hailing from the planet Zenn-La, Radd offers his services as the herald of the world devourer Galactus, but only if Galactus spares his home.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
4 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The federal government’s gross national debt has surpassed $34 trillion, a record high that foreshadows the coming political and economic challenges to improve America’s balance sheet in the coming years.—
Gary Franks,
Hartford Courant,
21 Mar. 2025
-
Regardless, there’s a lot of guessing right now about whether Zeldin’s tweet foreshadows further federal action.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The most obvious forerunner is Video Quartet, a 2002 work in which four screens show four videos simultaneously, each constructed from myriad film clips, all synced in a way that interlaces their soundtracks into a musical composition.—
Jonathon Keats,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
-
Solution #4: Charles Schwab Schwab, a forerunner in discount brokerage, has a bank subsidiary that can do what banks usually do.—
William Baldwin,
Forbes,
16 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Edwards and other experts predict the government will rely on an existing bank partner rather than build a new system from scratch.—
Dan Avery,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2025
-
The club said that this sort of injury is impossible to predict and this speculation is hindsight.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
For many years, China has been the largest source of both legal supplies of the drug – which is prescribed for severe pain relief – and illicit supplies of precursor chemicals that are typically processed in labs in Mexico before the final product is smuggled across the US border.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2025
-
This concoction of shredded beef in tomato sauce is believed by some to be a precursor to the American Sloppy Joe.—
Matt Rozo,
The Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
This implies a very strong Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.3% (vs. 19.0% for S&P 500).—
Trefis Team,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
-
The administration decision implies that any steps paroled migrants take to adjust their immigration status after publication of the notice on Tuesday would not be deemed as protection against deportation.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
22 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The tulip is considered one of the biggest signs of warmer months on the horizon and as such, tulip festivals have become a very popular attraction all over the world.—
Kaitlyn McInnis,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
-
Aside from waiting until the average last frost date has passed, the seedlings will give signs when they can be transplanted outside.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
23 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Cromwell is at the peak of his power, but the opening shot of Anne on her way to her death prefigures his own fall at the hands of the capricious royal.—
Roslyn Sulcas,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2025
-
And then: How Democrats lost their way on immigration Elon Musk’s war on federal employees is bad math The mystery novel that prefigured the L.A. wildfires Mikey Madison.—
Erin Neil,
The New Yorker,
3 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Harbinger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harbinger. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share