portents

plural of portent

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 portents Always alert to mood swings, Hollywood this week is coping with some dauntingly positive portents. — Peter Bart, Deadline, 25 June 2026 But there is reason for hope, because the season-one finale of Widow’s Bay is like a beacon in the dark, and all the signs and portents are lining up. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 17 June 2026 In the shadows of the long-hut, the elders muttered among themselves—of portents and crops and weather and the storage of grain. — Maggie O’Farrell, Literary Hub, 2 June 2026 Hurley says there are already portents of future protests against SpaceX’s plan, sparked by its lofting just 10,000 Starlink satellites so far into low Earth orbit. — Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026 By the end of 1857, no one knew the crack-up of the Union was coming in three years, or that the nation would be in a civil war in four, but the portents were bleak. — Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026 Black cats can be portents of bad luck. — Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Nov. 2025 As portents go, after a testing summer for Newcastle, this did not look altogether positive. — The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025 Advertisement Mamdani’s performance as mayor would be scrutinized for portents of the Democrats’ future. — Mark Chiusano, Time, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portents
Noun
  • Corral has no crystal ball, but the early omens are promising after Casey Bloys signed a new multiyear deal to oversee HBO Max and Paramount+ in a new role at Skydance.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2026
  • But from the first scenes, omens lay the groundwork for a sinking spiral of evolving tragedy.
    — Bill Hirschman, Sun Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • After all, the boy is from Lourdes, that land of miracles in the French Pyrenees, and spent a lot of time around pilgrims in search of healing.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Even those who don’t believe in miracles must concede the improbability of such historic continuity.
    — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 8 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Still, the evidence for an imminent conflict is much weaker than the predictions suggest.
    — Ningrong Liu, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • However, the current library remains too small for reliable predictions.
    — Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 22 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The cup is considered one of the seven glass wonders of the world, one of just 40 glass cage cups that survived.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Well, in 2026 the Hunter's Moon certainly succeeded in captivating the imagination and attention of photographers, who snapped the lunar disk alongside magnificent natural vistas, glowing cityscapes and ancient wonders.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The two remain royals, but growing speculation hints that once Prince William ascends the throne, that might change.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 24 Oct. 2026
  • But these were mere hints and premonitions of the kind of sway that humans now hold.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Englert also supervised the stunning cinematography, and one marvels at how this often silly film looks so smart.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Today, Astana’s skyline can keep up with the best of them, with 21st-century architectural marvels made from concrete, steel, and glass cresting over the country’s endless steppes into the horizon.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The comedy-drama heralds from Adeel Ahmed and writer-director Batra’s film and TV outfit Poetic License, and is being produced in partnership with Jio Studios (Dhurandhar), and Good Chaos (Ballad Of A Small Player).
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Chain bookselling, which enabled the unification of the reading market, was one of the first heralds of a globalizing age.
    — Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • But the group’s suggestions are for candidates and measures that are supported by more conservative voters, leading some Californians to call the guide deceptive.
    — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Other additions include context-aware suggestions within Messages (like turning a message inviting you to something into a calendar entry), SynthID watermarking support in Photos, and support for user profiles in the Apple TV app.
    — Samuel Axon, ArsTechnica, 26 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Portents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portents. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster