1
as in feel
a feeling that something bad will happen
I had a nagging presage that the results of my medical tests would not be good
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in forerunner
something believed to be a sign or warning of a future event
the sight of the first robin is always a welcome presage of spring
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to predict
to tell of or describe beforehand
people used to believe that a comet presaged a major event, such as the death of a king
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of presage
Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 25 Mar. 2025
The New Moon in Virgo, which occurs shortly after Mercury turns direct, presages really big beginnings throughout the zodiac.
—Jennifer Culp, Them, 16 Aug. 2024
Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
Fatigue that presages a heart attack doesn’t subside with rest and is disruptive to daily activities.
—Nadine Avola, Flow Space, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for presage
Noun
There’s a kind of implicit prayer in this that the withering of today’s Hollywood system is a presage for something better, giving the entire production a painful, nostalgic quality that tugs at your chest even as what unfolds before you is remarkably dumb.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 25 Mar. 2025
The New Moon in Virgo, which occurs shortly after Mercury turns direct, presages really big beginnings throughout the zodiac.
—Jennifer Culp, Them, 16 Aug. 2024
Verb
His first bitter taste of the majors presaged many more setbacks to come.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
Fatigue that presages a heart attack doesn’t subside with rest and is disruptive to daily activities.
—Nadine Avola, Flow Space, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for presage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for presage
Noun
-
The texture is also designed to replicate the feel of a massage therapist’s hands for deeper stimulation.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Phillies game forecast After a stellar Opening Day forecast, Saturday's Rangers-Phillies game will feel more like October baseball, with a feels-like temperature of around 39 degrees for first pitch.—
Grant Gilmore,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The camp is a program of the Woodcraft Rangers, founded by author and naturalist Ernest Thompson Seton, whose pioneering Woodcraft Rangers program was a forerunner to groups such as the Boy Scouts.—
Jessie Dax-Setkus,
Oc Register,
22 Mar. 2026
-
The Norwegian ended his season before the Olympics to further recover from a shoulder injury, but attended the finals as one of the forerunners, who test a course shortly before a race starts.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Zeisler predicted that many more entrepreneurs like Chorney will have similar ambitions going forward.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The principle holds that neural systems are driven to predict their environment.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Add the power of premonition to the growing collection of Volantis’ gifts.—
David Eckert,
Austin American Statesman,
15 Mar. 2026
-
The data in the new study validates these premonitions.—
Alex Hutchinson,
Outside,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Somewhere in there was portent.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Mar. 2026
-
This was only a portent of things to come — the protests were dwarfed by massive protests and riots against the regime in September 2022-2023, then the largest protests in December 2025 to January 2026.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Rabbi Irwin Kula, the panel’s moderator, asked the participants to describe their biggest fear or nightmare.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Sacramento community advocates are sounding the alarm over fears of deep city budget cuts that could impact public safety.—
Steve Large,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Such engravings, which depict the wackily maximalist style à la mode, including oodles of feathers and furbelows, were, in essence, early precursors to modern fashion magazines.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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Tantric yoga is obviously meant to be the precursor to intimate relations.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Some of Bondi's allies believe that the lack of prosecutions is attributable to Blanche, who has not pushed them too hard amid political concerns and worries about his future after his Justice Department career.—
Sarah N. Lynch,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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The electric carmaker last week reported its first decline in annual profit since 2022, but worries over rising gasoline prices has boosted its business.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Presage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/presage. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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