: an occurrence or phenomenon (see phenomenon sense 1) believed to portend a future event : augury
The dark clouds were considered a bad omen.
Synonyms
Examples of omen in a Sentence
They regarded the win as a good omen for the team.
omens of things to come
Recent Examples on the Web
These are positive omens for a goal-shy side that has not managed to dispel fears of a fourth successive relegation battle.
—
Patrick Boyland, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
A couple of the bad omens: ◾ Judas, the 13th person at the Last Supper in the Bible, is believed to have betrayed Jesus.
◾ Friday: Several unsettling events occurred on the day, including Jesus' crucifixion.
—Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
They have been associated with bad omens, according to English-language accounts of Japanese folklore.
—James Doubek, NPR, 20 Nov. 2024
Both make strong cases that U.S. security and prosperity depend on naval dominance, and both are laden with omens that commercial waters will once again turn violent.
—Kori Schake, Foreign Affairs, 22 Feb. 2022
See all Example Sentences for omen 
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.
Patrick Boyland, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
A couple of the bad omens: ◾ Judas, the 13th person at the Last Supper in the Bible, is believed to have betrayed Jesus.
◾ Friday: Several unsettling events occurred on the day, including Jesus' crucifixion.
—Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
They have been associated with bad omens, according to English-language accounts of Japanese folklore.
—James Doubek, NPR, 20 Nov. 2024
Both make strong cases that U.S. security and prosperity depend on naval dominance, and both are laden with omens that commercial waters will once again turn violent.
—Kori Schake, Foreign Affairs, 22 Feb. 2022
See all Example Sentences for omen
Dictionary Entries Near omen
Cite this Entry
“Omen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/omen. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
omen
noun
: a happening believed to be a sign or warning of some future event
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share