as in herald
one that announces or indicates the later arrival of another
her father's successful job interview was seen as a harbinger of better times to come
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to herald
to give a slight indication of beforehand
the hope that the housing slump does not harbinger a general economic recession
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of harbinger
Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025
Trump described the city as a harbinger of what unchecked migration could mean for America.
—Rafael Romo, CNN, 29 Jan. 2025
Volcano Wake-up Time That seismic activity is a harbinger.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 28 Jan. 2025
Among the historical events depicted is the appearance of what is now known as Halley's Comet, used here as a harbinger of the coming Norman invasion.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 28 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for harbinger
Noun
Then Daria Kasatkina, the Russian world No. 10 who runs a vlog through YouTube, cut to the heart of why this seemingly quirky bit of fun is also a harbinger for the future of tennis media, as well as the growth of the sport.
—Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025
Trump described the city as a harbinger of what unchecked migration could mean for America.
—Rafael Romo, CNN, 29 Jan. 2025
Volcano Wake-up Time That seismic activity is a harbinger.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 28 Jan. 2025
Among the historical events depicted is the appearance of what is now known as Halley's Comet, used here as a harbinger of the coming Norman invasion.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 28 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for harbinger
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harbinger
Noun
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Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach star as the titular quartet, heroes who must defend the Earth against Galactus (Ralph Ineson), a ravenous space god who's hungry to devour the entire planet with the help of his herald, the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner).—
Shania Russell,
EW.com,
18 Feb. 2025
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In Turkey and the Middle East, the birds crop up in folklore as heralds of spring, guides for pilgrims, and the first creatures, along with two doves, to disembark from Noah’s ark.—
Nick Paumgarten,
The New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Specifically, the credits now foreshadow particular moments that emerge over the course of the season: Look no further than the moment when innie Mark hobbles about a hilly grassland, which turns to be an actual milieu for a scene anchored by Gwendoline Christie in episode three.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
5 Feb. 2025
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The ending is foreshadowed throughout the movie, as disturbing behavior from Annie's kids and herself eventually turns fatal.—
Erica Marrison,
People.com,
19 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Equally, it was never considered by bid organizers to be a forerunner in bids to host the 2022 and 2026 men’s World Cup, the latter of which was successful and will be shared next year with Canada and Mexico.—
Adam Crafton,
The Athletic,
6 Feb. 2025
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While Cal State Fullerton isn’t the first campus to launch a Project Rebound program, the university has been among the forerunners in its expansion, becoming a model for Project Rebound programs at the other universities in the CSU system.—
Lou Ponsi,
Orange County Register,
28 Jan. 2025
Verb
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In January, the federal agency had predicted a 20% increase.—
Julia Reinstein,
ABC News,
25 Feb. 2025
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Oscar predicting, like forecasting in sports or politics, is an imperfect science.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Since the inception of the SAG Awards in 1994, only six actors have won the Oscar with SAG as their sole major precursor — and none of them were in lead actor.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
20 Feb. 2025
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Such a filing is typically a precursor to a lawsuit.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC News,
19 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Your question implies that there was something to lose.—
Jason Parham,
WIRED,
14 Feb. 2025
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Pivotal nearly doubled its target to $125 from $65 — implying 44% upside from Thursday’s close — while Wells Fargo upped its target to $129 from $74, which reflects more than 48% upside potential.—
Sean Conlon,
CNBC,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Researchers see the trend as a sign of financial instability among older Americans.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA TODAY,
16 Feb. 2025
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The cost of winning Bregman is the clearest sign thus far that the Red Sox are completing a circle of their own, getting back to being the type of franchise that prioritizes winning.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
16 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The widescreen, 35mm format prefigured IMAX and other high-density imagery in a way that still stuns on screen.—
John Wenzel,
The Denver Post,
31 Jan. 2025
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The Page Act prefigured the near-total ban on Chinese immigration to the U.S. seven years later, with the Exclusion Act of 1882—the country’s first federal law to restrict a group on the basis of race.—
Jane Hu,
The New Yorker,
23 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Harbinger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harbinger. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
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