1
as in forerunner
something believed to be a sign or warning of a future event
a red sky in the morning can be a portent of a coming storm
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in miracle
something extraordinary or surprising
a scout was sent to have a look at this teenage pitcher who was supposed to be the latest portent of the baseball world
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 portent
Jellyfish scrape along the sea floor like spindly mushroom clouds of portent, stinging Sofia who masochistically (and in a way that carries over to her actual human relationships) keeps going back for another dip.
—
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 14 Feb. 2025
But coming in at a brisk 89-minute runtime, the feature is awkwardly compressed in its portrait of heartache and easily overwhelmed by the political portent of its subject.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 24 Jan. 2025
The Dead Zone maintains key big-picture threads from the book and movie — the malevolent rising-star politician, the apocalyptic portent — while taking advantage of its format, succeeding as both a procedural and a long-term story.
—Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 22 Dec. 2024
For the Chinese government, however, Tiananmen remains a frightening portent.
—Andrew J. Nathan, Foreign Affairs, 30 May 2019
See All Example Sentences for portent
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 14 Feb. 2025
But coming in at a brisk 89-minute runtime, the feature is awkwardly compressed in its portrait of heartache and easily overwhelmed by the political portent of its subject.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 24 Jan. 2025
The Dead Zone maintains key big-picture threads from the book and movie — the malevolent rising-star politician, the apocalyptic portent — while taking advantage of its format, succeeding as both a procedural and a long-term story.
—Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 22 Dec. 2024
For the Chinese government, however, Tiananmen remains a frightening portent.
—Andrew J. Nathan, Foreign Affairs, 30 May 2019
See All Example Sentences for portent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portent
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
Noun
-
As hundreds of lightning bugs illuminated the night at Blue Spring, all guests gazed in awe at this natural miracle, noting how remarkable and rare this phenomenon is becoming.—
Patrick Connolly,
Orlando Sentinel,
20 Mar. 2025
-
Alabama State's March Madness miracle The Alabama State Hornets men's basketball team has won its first NCAA Tournament game, thanks to a Hail Mary in their First Four victory over the St. Francis Red Flash on Tuesday.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA TODAY,
19 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
For Terrier fans who believe in omens: BU defeated Ohio State by the same 8-3 score the last time the teams met in 2009 during an NCAA regional semifinal.—
Barry Scanlon,
Boston Herald,
27 Mar. 2025
-
The omens looked good after Argentina’s Ajejandro Tosti and Collin Morikawa’s caddie JJ Jakovac both aced the hole on Wednesday ahead of the tournament, but the waters quickly claimed multiple victims during the first round.—
Jack Bantock,
CNN,
13 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
What's next: Reluctance to visit the U.S. this summer may not be a strictly Canadian phenomenon, with worries about political strife and detainment upon entry an increasingly popular theme on travel message boards and chat groups in recent weeks.—
Alex Fitzpatrick,
Axios,
31 Mar. 2025
-
Even more amusing is the phenomenon of previously indifferent relatives suddenly remembering their deep and abiding affection for the deceased once an estate is at stake.—
Ashley Case,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 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
Noun
-
Deep in the heart of Crete, where myth intertwines with natural wonder, stands the legendary olive tree of Vouves.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
-
Ancient sequoia forests, roaring waterfalls and monoliths are just a few of the natural wonders travelers can explore in the 1,200 square miles.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA TODAY,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
But there’s also a bit of distracting stunt casting in the form of Kurt Russell as a corrupt mogul named Dob McCoy, who has a special ability to turn locals against each other and ruin their crops, his castor farm an ominous foreshadowing of hell-bent poisonings to come.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
11 Mar. 2025
-
And some, with a bleak foreshadowing of what was to come, had written their names and the phone numbers of family members – on their chests.—
Kate Bartlett,
NPR,
18 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Beyond its botanical marvels, the olive tree of Vouves, which is also older than the Parthenon, is a cultural symbol woven into the tapestry of Greek heritage.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
-
One of the marvels of the series comes in episode two, when the camera glides from the school to the crime scene in one seamless take.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
17 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Portent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portent. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share