as in portent
something believed to be a sign or warning of a future event
some people still believe that a black cat crossing your path is a bad omen
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Recent Examples of omen
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.
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Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY, 12 Sep. 2024
The intrigue: Legend has it that oarfish, also known as doomsday fish, are omens of natural disasters and earthquakes.
—Kate Murphy, Axios, 14 Aug. 2024
Of course, bad omens are not predestined to become reality.
—Ron Insana, CNBC, 31 July 2024
Before Sotheby’s contemporary art evening sale in London on Tuesday, the omens weren’t good.
—George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 26 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for omen 
Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY, 12 Sep. 2024
The intrigue: Legend has it that oarfish, also known as doomsday fish, are omens of natural disasters and earthquakes.
—Kate Murphy, Axios, 14 Aug. 2024
Of course, bad omens are not predestined to become reality.
—Ron Insana, CNBC, 31 July 2024
Before Sotheby’s contemporary art evening sale in London on Tuesday, the omens weren’t good.
—George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 26 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for omen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for omen
Noun
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Scenes play out with all the portent of a Catholic Mass.Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 11 Oct. 2024
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For those who looked, there were signs and portents of core Democratic policies pushed offstage.Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 5 Sep. 2024
Noun
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Being a forerunner in your circle will put you in a good position and enable you to quickly field new possibilities, offering advantages.Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 2 Nov. 2024
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Lilly developed its forerunner more than 30 years prior, according to reporting from FiercePharma. Market pricing for prescription drugs creates the incentives that perpetuate this cycle of innovation.Sally Pipes, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Those credit prices are not really a prediction by us of what the actual credit prices will be.Russ Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
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Who is historian Allan Lichtman's 2024 US presidential election prediction to win on Election Day − Donald Trump or Kamala Harris?Chris Sims, The Indianapolis Star, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
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These signs seem to confirm Sahm’s augury that the economy remains healthy.David Thomas, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
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The auguries were not favorable for a Pétain acquittal.Robert O. Paxton, Harper's Magazine, 17 Dec. 2023
Noun
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Episode writer Zachary Reiter knows exactly how to ham up the calm before the storm, warming us up with sentimental moments (like a mother preparing her son for his first date) and frisky foreshadowing (of course there’s a couple getting it on in the bathroom).Laura Bradley, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2024
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The narrative told in his recent form was the world’s most obvious foreshadowing.Gabby Herzig, The Athletic, 14 Apr. 2024
Noun
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Meanwhile, vast quantities of a precursor chemical for amphetamines, benzyl methyl ketone, or BMK, were exported from various Western countries to the Middle East.Ed Caesar, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
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Nearly all the precursor chemicals that are needed to make fentanyl come from China.CBS News, CBS News, 31 Oct. 2024
Noun
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The New Moon in Virgo, which occurs shortly after Mercury turns direct, presages really big beginnings throughout the zodiac.Jennifer Culp, Them, 16 Aug. 2024
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As the ending of the story perhaps presages, Martha is on the cusp of a change in her life.Deborah Treisman, The New Yorker, 28 July 2024
Noun
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Born on TikTok, this is an ideal choice for fall/winter thanks to its cool undertones; deep berry hues offer a hint of blue that adds a head-turning pop to any autumnal beauty look.Beatrice Zocchi, Vogue, 5 Nov. 2024
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Think velvet bows, toile ornaments, and hints of soft pastels to bring the historical elegance to life.Isabella Milano, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Omen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/omen. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
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