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

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.

Just as Graziano looks at how the metrics can help support the Pacers’ business interests in Paris, Miceli feels equally as confident for what the data can portend for the Spurs, not only in Paris but back home in Texas. —

Jason Clinkscales, Sportico.com, 22 Jan. 2025 Share [Findings] The birth of a white buffalo fulfilled a Lakota prophecy portending better times. —

Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 22 Jan. 2025 The increase in attacks, while worrying, did not portend a broader trend, said Andrew Markus, an emeritus professor at Monash University’s Australian Center for Jewish Civilization who has tracked Australian attitudes toward immigrants and one another in a long-running national survey. —

Victoria Kim, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2025 Getting Smith the ball has portended good things for the Buckeyes. —

Andrew Greif, NBC News, 21 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for portend