as in premonition
a feeling that something bad will happen
a nagging presentiment of danger
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of presentiment
Toni has been reluctant to let Amalie go out by herself—her bringing back a telescope seems to confirm some kind of fear, or presentiment.
—
Willing Davidson, The New Yorker, 21 July 2024
His presentiments had been right, but all those garlic pills and pulse recordings had done nothing to save him.
—Gillian Silverman, The New Yorker, 15 July 2023
The lavishness turns quickly into horror — Godwin gives us buckets of blood unasked for in the original — and then into a presentiment of Lear on the heath.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2020
Seen from behind, men and women bundled up in heavy coats are saturated with a mute presentiment, that of people beginning to endure.
—Han Kang, Harper's magazine, 10 Feb. 2019
Those years, of course, marked respectively the peak of the frenzied optimism of the last business cycle and the first chilling presentiments of what was to come.
—Gerard Baker, WSJ, 25 Jan. 2019
During the 1919 scenes she is occasionally stopped in her tracks by presentiments of what’s in store around the corner.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2017
Willing Davidson, The New Yorker, 21 July 2024
His presentiments had been right, but all those garlic pills and pulse recordings had done nothing to save him.
—Gillian Silverman, The New Yorker, 15 July 2023
The lavishness turns quickly into horror — Godwin gives us buckets of blood unasked for in the original — and then into a presentiment of Lear on the heath.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2020
Seen from behind, men and women bundled up in heavy coats are saturated with a mute presentiment, that of people beginning to endure.
—Han Kang, Harper's magazine, 10 Feb. 2019
Those years, of course, marked respectively the peak of the frenzied optimism of the last business cycle and the first chilling presentiments of what was to come.
—Gerard Baker, WSJ, 25 Jan. 2019
During the 1919 scenes she is occasionally stopped in her tracks by presentiments of what’s in store around the corner.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for presentiment
Noun
-
The movie’s terrifying dénouement emerges in another seven-minute shot, in which hints and premonitions are transformed into passions and horrors and in which landscape—and, as per the title, a seascape—appear not simply as backdrops but as dramatic and intellectual engines of the story.—
Richard Brody,
The New Yorker,
5 Feb. 2025
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Final Destination 5 begins with Sam Lawton (Nicholas D'Agosto) saving his co-worker's lives (and ruining their work retreat) after having a premonition about a bridge collapse.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
4 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
With the feel of a vintage roadside joint, Hy’s has red vinyl booths, creative cocktails and a tight menu revolving around fried chicken that’s meant to be tossed with a homemade honey sambal.—
Kin Woo Gisela Williams Amy Conway Kate Maxwell,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2025
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The plus side doesn’t stop at the internal components: A sturdy metal chassis that's trim despite the large screen and an excellent keyboard add to the premium feel of this gaming laptop.—
Jade Chung-Lee,
PCMAG,
20 Feb. 2025
Noun
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This fear is a type of anxiety disorder most common in people between the ages of 17 and 34.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
-
Had fear of exposure or rejection kept you from fully stepping into leadership or creative risk?—
Colin Bedell,
Them,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The suspicion main producer Kim refers to is that, akin to those faced by the Love Island and Too Hot to Handle producers, audiences are starting to think some people are going on the show just to become famous.—
Lily Ford,
The Hollywood Reporter,
28 Feb. 2025
-
On the dark side, Mercury in Scorpio often leads to suspicion or paranoia.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
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That’s all well and good, but this latest game was as good a sign as any that those worries might not age well.—
Sam Amick,
The Athletic,
26 Feb. 2025
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Another major worry for those who’ve been able to live in their homes is all the trash.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Its reappearance on the American scene in the twenty-first century should be taken as a foreboding.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
4 Feb. 2025
-
The movie’s very first shot, beautiful yet full of foreboding, finds her swimming in the Atlantic, her peace momentarily disturbed by the roar of a military helicopter overhead.—
Justin Chang,
The New Yorker,
30 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Presentiment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/presentiment. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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