portend

verb

por·tend pȯr-ˈtend

portended; portending; portends

Synonyms of portend next

transitive verb

: to give an omen or anticipatory sign of

: indicate, signify

Did you know?

It may seem like a stretch to say that portend, beloved verb of seers, soothsayers, and meteorologists alike, is related to tendon—the word we use to refer to the dense white fibrous tissue that helps us, well, stretch—but it’s likely true. Portend comes from the Latin verb portendere (“to predict or foretell”), which in turn developed as a combination of the prefix por- (“forward”) and the verb tendere (“to stretch”). Tendere is thought to have led to tendon, among other words. So you might imagine portend as having a literal meaning of “stretching forward to predict.” In any event, the history of the word surely showcases the flexibility of our language.

Examples of portend in a Sentence

The distant thunder portended a storm. If you're superstitious, a black cat portends trouble.

Recent Examples on the Web

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Share [Findings] The birth of a white buffalo fulfilled a Lakota prophecy portending better times. —

Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024 This is the biggest opening day for a superhero film since Spider-Man: Far From Home in the market, and portends a five-day launch in the upper $30M neighborhood there. —

Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2024 The Rams proved last season that a poor first half of the season does not portend disaster. —

Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2024 There are other more practical reasons, too, that the attacks in Lebanon are unlikely to portend a global wave of exploding consumer electronics anytime soon. —

Lily Hay Newman Matt Burgess, WIRED, 19 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for portend