as in predicts
formal + literary
to be a sign or warning that something usually bad or unpleasant is going to happen
The distant thunder portended a storm. If you're superstitious, a black cat portends trouble.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portends
Verb
-
Jon Heyman of the New York Post predicts Alonso to sign for $152 million.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
24 Dec. 2024 -
McKinsey & Co predicts the cash economy in many emerging markets like India, will decline from 23% today to less than 10% within this decade.—
Alex Lazarow,
Forbes,
24 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
The deal to host the Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia is finalized, with an official announcement expected soon, possibly during Monday's Raw Netflix premiere, which promises to bring in a huge international audience.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
4 Jan. 2025
-
As 2025 begins, the slate of January releases promises a strong start to the year.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
4 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
That bodes well for his national team prospects under Pochettino.—
Felipe Cardenas,
The Athletic,
24 Dec. 2024
-
Walter doesn’t have the heft Brooks does, but that bodes well for the future.—
Eric Koreen,
The Athletic,
23 Dec. 2024
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.
Thesaurus Entries Near portends
Cite this Entry
“Portends.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portends. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share