warned; warning; warns

transitive verb

1
a
: to give notice to beforehand especially of danger or evil
b
: to give admonishing advice to : counsel
c
: to call to one's attention : inform
2
: to order to go or stay away
often used with off
warner noun

Examples of warn in a Sentence

I had been warned about the difficulties of the job. She warned me that the stove was still hot. “This won't be easy,” he warned. Nobody warned me about the dangers. I warned him to be careful, but he didn't listen to me. She warned us not to go too close to the fire.
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.
There was no evacuation warning ahead of the air raid. Reuters, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024 There was also the larger error of anointing Harris without political competition — an insult to the democratic process that handed the nomination to a candidate who, as some of us warned at the time, was exceptionally weak. Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024 Around 9:15, someone turned up the volume and Rachel Maddow’s voice rose above the chatter, warning that results would be coming in all night. Curbed Staff, Curbed, 6 Nov. 2024 Some battleground states took multiple days in 2020 to determine a clear winner in the presidential race then, and elections analysts are warning the same could be the case this year as well. Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Orange County Register, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for warn 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English warnen, going back to Old English wearnian, warnian "to be on one's guard, make aware, put on one's guard," going back to West Germanic *warnōjan- (whence Middle Dutch waernen "to provide with, give notice of a danger," Old High German warnōn), probably causative derivative of Germanic *wara- "cognizant, watchful" — more at ware entry 1

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of warn was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near warn

Cite this Entry

“Warn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/warn. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

warn

verb
1
a
: to give notice to beforehand especially of danger or evil
b
: to give advice to : counsel
2
: to order to go or stay away
warned us off their land
warner noun

More from Merriam-Webster on warn

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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